The Answer to Life
by Drunk Operator
Summary: Upon reawakening, they had often wondered at the back of their heads but dare not voice: "What is the purpose of our lives?" Androids were created to protect their human masters, but humans were already extinct. According to the records, their creators had often contemplated questions like these. If only humans were still here, they'd probably be able to shed some light.
1. Prologue

**The Answer to Life**

 **Author's Note** :

 _After finding out that Nier got a sequel I was so hyped! Nier doesn't get enough love at all and has a pretty small fanbase. I'm glad that's changing with the arrival of Nier: Automata. The first Nier's lore really got me hooked and interested in Drakengard too!_

 _Let's be honest, with how much 9S seems to salivate over anything related to human life and culture, there has got to be a few times you guys have wondered what it would be like if humans were there to interact with our beloved androids!_

 _Anyway, this is my first time writing fanfiction. I'm kind of nervous as this is the first time I've ever posted anything like a story/fanfic, so I hope I don't disappoint too much._

 _I'm open to feedback and would love it if you drop a review so I know what you think of it_

 **Prologue**

It hurt.

His body felt cold and weak as the strength in his body slowly drained out of him.

How long has he laid here bleeding out on the streets?

He couldn't tell the passage of time anymore. Had it been several minutes or several hours that he's been staring blankly at the sky on his back?

He could hear the distant sounds of the riots as he lay there on the ground surrounded by the empty street, looted stores, and the corpses of the bastards he'd just murdered.

The sky was an impassive grey and the accursed "snow" just kept falling from the skies.

"Is this God's punishment for humanity's loathsome sin and treachery?" He was not given an answer and the sky remained silent. He could hear the riots getting louder and louder. "Just what went wrong?" he wondered.

He was both sickened and amazed at it all. How in such troubled times, humanity could still turn on each other and take advantage of the situation to rise above others. To take control and rule over others in tyrannical glee, to abuse and subject others to their oppressive will, to seize power over their fellow man to sate the unending thirst for power.

It was disgusting.

If this wickedness was a product of the evil that humans were capable of in the past, present, and future; then he understood why God flooded this world once.

He chuckled softly and painfully as the small motion sent sharp spikes of pain through his injuries.

It was a chuckle filled with a self-deprecating mirth, what right did he possess to think those thoughts and judge humanity?

He too had succumbed and done the same in a wrathful haze.

No, perhaps he was worse than the lot he'd just butchered. At least they were honest and upfront about it, exercised even and proclaimed their supposed superiority and alpha status among their gangs. He on the other hand justified to himself it was for revenge and that what he did was righteous.

That his brutality and ruthlessness was God's will and retribution.

To make his anger, God's anger.

...

What a fucking joke he was, some Christian _he_ was. In light of all that's happened since the Giant and Dragon appeared over Tokyo, as well as Project Gestalt. Did God even exist? Was all that he knew and devoted to all just a comedic farce?

With a grimace he muttered, "Ha ha…*cough*…I guess I'll find out soon enough huh?"

Shame he'll never get to see what becomes of the world in the future when this disaster passes over.

He lifted his pistol up and looked it over, seeing the wear on its body. He found himself gazing at it with a strange sense of longing and remorse.

"…We had a good run eh, partner…"

Too bad he wouldn't make it to Project Dignity, then again there wasn't any point now that he had nothing to live for. He had lost everything he cared for: his home, his family, his friends, his career, his ordinary but peaceful life, his ideals, as well as his hopes and dreams. He could go on and on like a pathetic little daisy, but he barely had any strength left to form a thought.

"…I'm coming now…big bro is coming home…tell the Lord to go easy on me…put in a good word for me now will you…haha" he rasped out.

The edges of his sight were getting dim, it was getting colder and colder. He let out a small breath and prepared himself for whatever might come. Before he embraced his eternal sleep, he heard what sounded like voices in the distance.

"-ver th..ere!"

"Shi…-leeding…out….-urt…ba-…-eed..-eatment…now!"

"…-ckly…to…pod…-ow!"

"…-acancy….lef-…so…-urry!"

…Whatever, he didn't care anymore. His senses were dulling and he felt so sleepy. He let the calm wash over him and smiled. No matter how dreadful things got, he knew that mankind would always be able to rebuild. If not rebuild, then at least leave behind a legacy of mankind's culture, history, and accomplishments.

He let out one last sigh and took comfort in the approaching darkness.


	2. Chapter 1

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 1**

Reactivating and functioning in nominal status was not what they were expecting. Upon regaining a semblance of clarity and remembering what happened before going offline, they understood one thing. They were possibly the only Yorha androids remaining if you excluded possible rogue units who had abandoned their posts or those fortunate enough to have been disconnected to the network when the Bunker was seized by the virus.

The only ones left whom they could call allies and friends were the surviving Resistance members, their Pods, and…. Pascal.

They were understandably confused, disoriented, and bewildered. They had expected for it all to end with the fall of the Bunker, the collapse of the Tower, and…the Truth that they had come to learn.

The humans were all extinct.

That's right. For all they had fought for and fervently charged into, the indoctrination of Yorha they had all come to blindly accept without question turned out to be a lie all along.

"Isn't it hilarious? We were all nothing but sacrificial pawns to them! All of us! None of it even matters!" she recalled as they fought on the peak of the Tower. She understood that kind of pain, that kind of betrayal. To have everything you knew all turn out to be a contrived story.

To be used and then discarded like some piece of trash.

She remembered the anger and hatred that possessed her after she survived the mission in Pearl Harbor. She promised to never blindly follow orders from anyone ever again. The resentment she felt for Yorha, for what they stood for, still burned in her even after their destruction. Although her programming fought against her, that bitterness also extended to her creators. How she wished to kick them off a cliff or throw them into battle against the countless machines still wandering the decrepit world to let them have a taste of what it was like.

Even after she met up with the two of them, 9S remained unwelcome and hostile towards her. Her successor holding him back, merely gazed at her in understanding. The reluctant explanations and detailed briefing of all parties involved brought them to a better understanding of one another, but the tension around the three was still palpable. The monotonous drones of the irritating and smartass tin cans didn't help either.

They had shortly arrived to complete their little rendezvous on the side of a collapsed building. The Pods explained how they were still alive and what happened proceeding the events of the Tower in their usual overly technical fashion. She swore, if they made one more quip about her cognitive abilities…

Soon, all that gave way to her surprise and skepticism when they informed them of their "evolution".

Their rationale was…unbelievable to say the least. That they had somehow gained sapience throughout their journeys with their partners was not what she expected.

Though their final statement was what surprised and rendered the three of them silent and contemplative.

"A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself. After all that you have been through, will you stop here? Will you accept defeat?"

"We are your tactical support units and thus we will continue to provide assistance."

"Query: What will units 2B, 9S, and A2 designate as their objective henceforth?"

…

What _were_ they going to do from now on?

Although the war between androids and machines were over for now. There was no doubt plenty of hostile machine lifeforms still roaming the wastes. There original objective of bringing mankind back was a bust as well.

In the end, 2B and 9S decided to explore the world and search for any surviving androids along the way. She on the other hand opted to continue as before, surviving and surveying her surroundings for any enemies to eliminate. Visiting the Resistance camp to see if her old friend Anemone was still around would be a priority as well.

Amazingly, 9S was the one to extend his hand to her to join them – albeit begrudgingly. She simply declined and gave an excuse that she worked better alone. Seeing 2B and 9S interact with each other so closely…it gave her an uncomfortable ache. Her presence would simply hinder their development. She admitted to herself she could be rather dense, but even she wasn't this stupid.

With their plans established and goodbyes said, the two set off with Pod 153, leaving her with the white floating trash can that would no doubt annoy her with an endless amount of smartass commentary.

…...

"Hahh…" A2 exhaled as she continued jumping from branch to branch towards the edge of the forest. Even after all this time, the scenery of the Forest Kingdom remained the same along with their inhabitants. Her graceful movements blowing her long silver hair in the air helped alleviate the uncomfortably warm humidity off her back. As she swiftly departed, A2 stopped to rest on a hillside with lush greenery and flowers decorating its face. The perfume of her surroundings helped to calm and soothe her. Sitting on a large rock, she gazed over yonder and savored the scenery.

She had grown to appreciate the beauty of the world around her and it only continued to grow on her now that she didn't have to constantly look over her shoulders for pursuers. As she gazed at the sun kissed field, her mind started to wander back in time.

It had been approximately seven years since then.

Having gone her separate way, the first thing A2 did was return to the Resistance camp to confirm if there were any of the resistance androids still there. To her relief, Anemone and the Resistance were still there albeit something terrible had happened. According to Anemone, shortly after the collapse of the Tower, there had been a second sudden invasion of maddened machines. The attack was fortunately short-lived, but this time around the machines' frenzy was much more ferocious. Though the attack was dealt with, the intensity of the struggle rendered the camp nearly completely decimated. Thankfully, under the competent leadership of Anemone who had prepared for any additional threats in the future, there were only a few casualties and many androids including Anemone had only suffered superficial damage.

"They sure are a hardy bunch…" A2 reminisced with a smile before slowly frowning. Most of the members just laughed it off and said they would rebuild like the humans did before them. Though the thoughts of rebuilding had promoted morale, deep down everyone was simply exhausted. The progress was steady at first, but motivation soon trickled down to a dying stream. Many of the resistance members were just fed up and some simply left despite Anemone's best efforts. She too had helped here and there but she usually just went off on her own.

A2's porcelain face scrunched up and she threw a nearby pebble in frustration. She would not admit it, but she too had thought of simply leaving if her old comrade hadn't been there. Even if they managed to make a comeback _, what then_? She could go out endlessly wiping out machines, but _what then_? It was a question that plagued her since reactivating. What was their purpose in life? Nothing they did seemed to matter at all anymore and she hated it.

She remembered going through some public records when she was still a part of Yorha, how awed and inspired she felt reading how her creators built their civilization from the ground up. Comparing it to what they had presently, she realized that their work seemed to lack that " _spark_ " humans seemed to have.

They were superior to their human masters in every way: they were so much stronger, faster, durable, and could process as well as share information much more efficiently. Yet, for all the advantages they possessed, they just couldn't measure up somehow. Besides the obvious, just what did humans have that they lacked? What drove them to achieve so much progress? What was the source of their innovation and imagination? What was their purpose, their "answer" to this puzzle called life?

"…Is there really that much of a difference between us?" A2 whispered as she got up. It was times like these she wished her old squad was still here. Even though she felt so lost at times, with them she could relax and let go of any worries as she watches them fool around with each other. It was times like these when she felt so lost and alone, that she desperately yearned for companionship…like what her successor had with her partner.

"Enough…moping around won't change anything." As she was about to turn and leave, her eyes caught movement in the distance. She moved closer to the bottom of the hill and crouched behind a large boulder. She peeked out and zoned in on the object, from what she could tell at this distance it looked like a figure in white and black standing outside a cave. It caught her eyes with how out of place it looked as it stood out from the sea of greens and browns.

"Is that…an android?" She'd never seen a getup like that before. "Pod." She commanded.

"Affirmative, scanning…no black box detected."

"So just a regular android then."

"Negative."

"What?"

"Target is neither a Yorha unit or a ground unit belonging to the Resistance. Proposal: Proceed to investigate with caution."

"You can't just scan 'em from here?"

"Proper observation and identification of unknown element requires further analysis at closer range. Repeat: A2 should proceed to investigate target with caution."

"As always, you're so helpful."

A2 began to quickly and silently dash towards the tree line below before she stopped halfway as she noticed something unusual.

"What the…"

Approaching gingerly towards the front of the figure from the cave was what look like a large group of smaller people.

 **Author's Note:**

Wow, I didn't think the reception of this fanfic would be any good.

Thanks for the warm welcome everybody!

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.

Comments and feedback are always appreciated, they help motivate me and I also enjoy reading your thoughts.

Reviews are love, reviews are life~!

See you all in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 2

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 2**

 ** _"Oh…what's this? A remnant of the Other World…and you have traces of it in you…how curious"_**

He was dreaming.

It was nothing like he had ever dreamed of before, it was so alien. He did not know what he was dreaming of. It was all a blur, like he was dreaming of the lives of multiple people. There were places, times, architecture, and phantasmal beings he did not recognize.

Places filled with sword and magic.

Skies dotted with winged reptilians.

Figures in cloaks chanting unintelligible arcane babble.

Oh…and there were _so_ , _so_ many pairs of red, glowing orbs staring right back at him…

 ** _"How fortuitous…we have been dormant for so long…and it seems you are about to awaken as well…"_**

Alert…Alert…Alert…Error Code: E24

System shutting down…central power source no longer functioning…

Cryogenic procedures terminating…

Preservation vessels now opening…

Please follow all operating and handling instructions…

Backup power will only sustain basic utility and will last for an estimated time of…calculating…four hours, twenty-nine minutes and seventeen seconds…

Please ensure that all preserved individuals are secure …

 ** _"This world…yes, we can sense it…it has recovered and no traces of the Scourge remain. However, its apex inhabitants…they still walk…this signifies that our work is incomplete…that simply won't do…"_**

He felt himself stirring, it was so cold…

 ** _"Hmmm…how unfortunate, our influence is only tethered by a spider's thread…then again with you anchoring our existence…yes…you will do…there is no other choice…just as we are Agents…you will become ours…"_**

 ** _"As our proxy…fulfill the purging in our place…erase the blight that yet remains…unfortunately we must once again remain inert and recuperate, but know that we will be watching your every step…Harbinger…"_**

He cracked his eyes open, the dry air assaulting and making them tear up.

Alarm filling his mind he gasped, frigid air filling his lungs like a new born drawing their first breath, causing him to cough violently.

It was a strange feeling, like he had been starved of oxygen for so long that he had to adjust to breathing it again.

As his vision begun to focus, he found himself in a glass coffin of sorts. The dome above slowly creaking open and making hissing sounds.

The man slowly pushing himself up looked around frantically and immediately regretted it. He bit back a whine, his body was incredibly sore and it hurt to move. Trying again but slower, he took in the scene presented around him. It was a dark, freezing, damp, and dreary place. Many of the lights above were not functioning, the remaining ones that still emitted light were dim and constantly sputtering on their last legs. There were a few loose wires of assorted lengths hanging from the ceiling like dark vines. The paint on the walls that he presumed were once white, flaked and peeled all over the place. It smelled musty and there were clumps of dust floating in the air. This was certainly not where he expected to wake up. The place he found himself in was extremely filthy and in disrepair, with electronics and machinery toppled all over the place collecting dust. Did someone piss off the custodian or something?

"Wha-wha-what is going o-on? Where am I?" the man hoarsely pushed out through chattering teeth.

Ugh, his mouth was dry as a desert and his voice sounded like he hadn't used it all his life.

While the bleak setting that encompassed him filled him with curiosity, what really drew his attention were the numerous pods in front of his own within this sizable area he found himself in.

Carefully pushing himself off his back, he gingerly descended from his seat and faced forward to see what was in front of him. The young man could see many strange pods opening their domes much like his did, but at a snail's pace. Looking further back towards the end of the room, he had noticed that there were seven pods side by side with their hatches already open. Did that mean there were other people already up and about?

Feeling relieved at the prospect of an explanation, he gently stumbled over the frosted floor to the open pods for a closer inspection. As he approached the first four pods, what he saw greatly confused him. Still laying on their backs in a slumber within the machines were four children covered in a thin layer of frost much like he was.

"What? There are kids here too? This is getting weirder and weirder…"

The man was about to reach out to shake them awake, but something seemed incredibly off-putting that made him stop halfway. The feeling of wrongness that pulled at his nerves and the alarms blaring in his mind grew increasingly stronger as he continued to stare at the four kids in front of him with knitted brows. It was not until a few seconds later that he noticed the source of the escalating dread he felt.

The kids' chests…they weren't rising or falling, nary a movement or twitch was seen.

"N-no, it can't be…" stuttered the man. He reached out with a trembling hand and placed it under the nose of the nearest child.

There was no breath.

He checked for a pulse and again he did not receive any feedback.

Quickly, he checked the other children but found they were just like the first, covered in frost and motionless like unflinching statues.

"Fuck, th-they're all dead. What the fuck is going on here?!" he stuttered unsteadily as he stepped back with unbelieving eyes. He then froze and slowly looked to his right, remembering there were three more pods nearby. Swallowing, he took one step forward, hesitated for a second, then proceeded to cautiously approach the remaining open pods. His heart was beating in his chest harder and harder with each step, so much so that he thought it would leap out of his throat. Timidly peering over the edge of the nearest one, he braced himself for whatever he might find.

"U-UWAH! FUCK!" screamed the man as he jumped back in fright, his shout echoing in the steel chamber. He had readied himself for another frozen stiff corpse and what he discovered was exactly that. However, it wasn't discovering frozen cadavers that shook him…it was the way the three looked that haunted him. Transfixed and horrified, he found himself gawking back at the frost covered corpses of a woman and two men. They were lying down in their pods, but what was different was the way their bodies were positioned.

Their expressions were twisted with a look of horror and panic, as if they had realized something was terribly wrong.

Their glassy eyes were wide and framed with bloodshot at the edges.

Their mouths, open ajar and framed in a silent scream.

Finally, their arms were frozen in an outstretched position with bloody fists tightly balled up.

As if they were trying break open the pod and escape their icy prison….

"Dead God…" he whispered as he covered his mouth in shock and stepped back. His breath was coming out in ragged wisps of condensation and disbelief.

'Seriously, what is going on here?!' he thought to himself in fright. Before he could speculate any further, he heard the final hissings of the hatches on the opened pods. Shortly following the mechanical whirring was what caught his attention the most, slicing through his mental haze like a hot knife through butter. Filling his ears and echoing off the walls was the familiar cries of children. As he looked around, contained in every single pod was a small child starting to wake up. There didn't seem to be any fellow grown-ups he could interact with.

"…What?" mouthed the man in confusion.

"AHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh." The wails of the children started to escalate into a choir of anguish.

Their hoarse cries and streaming tears tugged mercilessly at his heart. The confusion, horror, and panic amassed at the back of his mind since awakening was starting to pour into his psyche like a broken dam.

'Shit, what do I do, fuck, fuck, fuck! Isn't there _anyone_ around here monitoring whatever fuckfest this is?!' the man mentally screamed in frustration.

The previous worries ignored for now, he frantically rushing towards each of the pods, he checked to see if all the kids were okay. He assisted them all by muttering sweet nothings of reassurance in their ears along with much needed hugs before helping them down from their pods.

"Shhh…shhh…shhhh its alright I got you. No one's going to hurt you. You're safe, I promise. Tell you what? You see the open space in the middle of the room? Head over there and wait as I help the other children out." He instructed and repeated in a cheerful manner to every child he approached.

Comforting and soothing them all as best as he could for what seemed like hours, he led each of them to the empty space until they were all gathered in the middle of the…lab? He still did not know what this place was or where they were.

Having assembled together and standing in front of the children, the man could see the shiny trails of dried tears on their cheeks and hear the wet sniffles filling his ears. They were all huddled together in an attempt to generate some warmth to counter the cold temperature. Their droopy eyes and upturned brows staring right back at him, hoping for answers to their predicament.

'Well…what are we going to do now?' thought the man, feeling weary and perplexed.

The man and the group of children soon found themselves in a staring contest for the next minute or so.

 **Author's Note:**

Hey guys, it feels good to post something again. I just got a job along with a few courses I'm taking so it has been a bit hectic lately. Thank you for taking the time to read this story. It might be a slow start at first as this is my first time writing something like this, but nevertheless I hope you still enjoy reading it!

As always, if you have any thoughts or comments, please fire away!

Any reviews or feedback are always welcome and much appreciated!

See you all in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 3

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 3**

He was at a loss.

The staring contest they had engaged in only made him feel more uneasy and anxious.

Having had enough of the impasse, he opted to simply start by looking the children over.

There were twenty-six of them and from what he could tell, the kids all seemed to come from distinct cultures and races. Sure, there were a few that looked similar, but it was still a mini melting pot in front of him. Was this a diversity driven decision by whoever put them here? For what?

Cripes, he hoped this wasn't some apocalyptic doomsday scenario he found himself in where these kids would grow up to repopulate the earth or something. Chuckling to himself, there was no way something so outlandish could be true. What he was worried about was whether they could all speak the same language or not, a language barrier would surely complicate things even further. It would be pure misery attempting to clarify the situation to them when he couldn't even communicate with them. Hell, he didn't even know what was going on himself.

Noticing they were all dressed in warm, woolen clothes of assorted colors, it spoke of clear intent to help them resist the cold after their slumber. They were all shivering and a few were still sniffling, but they seemed relatively fine. Glancing down at himself, he noticed that he was not provided the same courtesy. Seriously, the ones who put them on ice were either really in a hurry or they were just dicks to him for some reason. Suppressing a shiver, he took note of what he was wearing and the condition his body was in. On his torso was a white, long-sleeved button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The shirt was tucked into a pair of tattered blue jeans with a rip on the left knee and another patched up on the right knee. In the loops of his jeans was a brown leather belt with a brass buckle matched with a pair of brown leather shoes. Overall, his attire was one that could be described as casual but was proper enough to be worn in a professional setting. Glancing down at some broken panes of glass revealed himself to be of Asian descent, his clean cut black hair supporting the observation. He was not overly muscular or thin, but somewhere in the middle with a toned frame. Though his eyes were wide and shone with a warm chocolate hue, his brows naturally slanted downward slightly, giving him an unintentionally intimidating visage.

Glancing back towards the children, he noticed that they all had worried expressions and their tiny eyes were glued to his every movement. Their timid postures suggested a wary outlook of his person. His impassive expression and rigid demeanor only fueled the unsettling silence before it was broken.

"Umm…hey mister, who are you and where are we?" softly asked a young girl.

Shocking him out of his stupor, the man immediately cleared his head.

"Right, where to begin? Um, well, you see…"

Being unprepared and put on the spot in front of an audience as well as being uninformed of the situation himself, the man began to have a mini panic attack that effectively threw a wrench into his mental gears. The anxiety causing him to turn into a bumbling mess and in his daze, his temporarily impaired mind associated children with cheer and laughter.

"Oh right! We're going to play a game! It's uhhh, a game where we have to ask each other…questions about what happened and see, uh, who can answer them. That way we can all help each other out haha…maybe even introduce ourselves, yes that sounds good…hahaha"

Immediately, as if it were never there, the apprehensiveness that filled the room disappeared in a flash. The children all stared at him strangely, even the ones who were still lightly weeping looked up at him like he had grown two heads…

…..

 _FUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKKKK! YEAH! YEAH! LET'S GET THE KIDS' ATTENTION WITH A STUPID 'Q &A'! OH, HEY KIDS, LET'S STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF A GOD DAMN FUCKING FREEZER WITH A FEW CORPSES AT THE END OVER THERE WHILE WE FREEZE OUR ASSES OFF! SOUNDS FUN HUH!? THE KIDS ARE ALL SHIVERING LIKE SOME PEDO FIEND JUST WALTZED IN ON A DONKEY, SO OF COURSE THE BEST THING TO DO IS STAY HERE AND PLAY '22 QUESTIONS', AM I RIGHT?! FUCK!_

…..

Let it be known that social interaction was not his forte, being extremely introverted and silent most of the time in public didn't help matters either. He took extra care to ensure his mental outrage at himself didn't show on his face.

"Ha ha…just kidding, actually it's pretty cold in here. How about we move some place warmer before asking any questions? We could all introduce ourselves afterward. How does that sound?"

Instantly, there was a smiling chorus of agreement and the synchronized nods of tiny heads.

Huh, how adorable.

Heading towards the steel door with the large 'EXIT' panel above it, he pushed on the button that he presumed would allow them through. The thick steel panels growled out an arthritic groan of resistance before only the right panel slowly slid open to reveal a dimly lit pathway.

"Here, come on now. Hurry! Wouldn't want to turn into popsicles now do we?"

Hearing this, the children stumbled over themselves to squeeze out of the room.

Just before stepping out himself, he turned around and gave one last solemn look towards the far edge where he had awoken from, the area he made sure was hidden out of sight from the children when he told them to gather up.

 _Guess I'll have to come back later to bury them when the kids aren't with me…it's the least I can do. Hopefully, we'll be able to find out more as we explore this place a bit further. God knows this is probably the biggest mindfuck I've ever dealt with. Maybe I'll come back here and look at those dusty old desktops over there, there should be records and documentation on whatever this is, assuming they are still working that is…_

Following the children out the exit, they were greeted with a barren tunnel with numerous steel doors lining the walls. The steel doors looked thick and tightly sealed liked the ones they came out from, perhaps they held something important? He presumed they were utilitarian in nature seeing the hall still looked extremely underdeveloped. The hall looked like someone had dug a tunnel and pasted steel doors on the dirt wall or something. Only the first ten to twenty meters of the ground from the door had any flooring. From the look of things, the area looked like it was built on a pretty tight schedule and budget.

Looking behind him, he saw the kids making a fuss in front of the nearest door.

"Hey kiddos what's up?"

"Mister, the sign up there says 'Sta-ff', that means worker, right? Then there should be someone who can help us right?" squeaked the same girl from earlier.

Gazing up, he realized she was right. There should be something or someone who could help them.

"Wow, you're very observant! Good eye!"

Having her head patted, the little girl beamed at the praise.

Using the emergency opening instructions on the door, he pried the door open with a grunt. What they saw disappointed them as it was only a small room with 4 rows of lockers. With the sudden flow of air, dust clouded the air in the room, making a few of the kids sneeze.

"Wait here, I'm going to check the room out."

With a cough, he stepped in and observed the slightly faded names on the lockers. For some reason, he felt like he recognized this room, as if he knew what direction to head to. Stepping over to the fourth row of lockers towards the back, he stopped at one particular locker. The lock on it already having rusted severely, he decided to take two small nut wrenches he noticed sitting on a nearby table with other tools. It took him a few attempts, but he managed to break the lock by placing the wrenches on either side of the lock bridge and squeezed the wrenches together until the lock popped open.

He didn't know why, but going through this locker felt so routine. As he opened the locker, he discovered a variety of familiar items. The items that stood out the most were as follows: a black MOLLE vest with pouches attached to it with a zipper going down the middle to close it, a concealable level 3A soft body armor vest, a pistol in a leather holster, pistol mag pouches for a belt, and…was that a giant stack of porn?

…..

' _Tiger's Wood'_

' _The Da Vinci Load'_

' _Pussyrama'_

' _Edward Penishands'_

…

 _Damn, what the hell?_

 _I should hide these away from the kids later…_

Placing the erotica back, he huffed and decided to get back on track.

As if by second nature, he began to take the gear and wear the MOLLE vest over the armor as well as attach the additional mag pouches on his belt. After doing so, he unholstered the pistol to look it over.

It was beautiful.

There was no other way to describe the elegant design of the gun.

It felt like he had reunited with a dear friend after a very long time.

It was a stainless steel Colt 1911 Commander chambered in .45 ACP with a skeletonized hammer and trigger. On its slide were elegant floral engravings with gold inlays and the grips were a classic checkered diamond rose wood. However, its appearance was marred with scratches and markings that made him grimace with serious heartburn. Though he felt elated, the 1911 in his hand felt heavy, not in the physical sense…but in a suffocating way.

He reholstered the gun onto his right hip and searched through the pouches on the vest and discovered a plethora of single stack magazines, a small first aid kit, and a fixed blade combat knife. Sifting through the locker once more, he was dismayed at the lack of a proper identification card or something because he felt strongly in his gut that everything in this locker belonged to him despite having no recollection of ever seeing this place before. Having a locker with his belongings in a staff room of this facility implied that he was somehow affiliated with this place. Heck, assuming this stuff was all his, why was he so heavily armed? For self-defense, most people carried two to three magazines, but on his person were twenty-four magazines plus the one in the gun. The amount of firepower on him was far beyond what was normally called for. It was as if he was prepared to engage in battle. Things were becoming more and more ominous by the minute…

After taking stock of his equipped gear, he started to see if he could remember anything about himself.

"Let's see…my name is David Kwan and I am twenty-two years old. I was born on October 25.2010. I'm part of a Search and Rescue team in the city of…of…"

His mind blanked.

He couldn't remember where he was from. He tried to reach even deeper but it was nothing but a fruitless effort. He could remember some basic things like what level of education he had and what kind of house he lived in. However, there were other things he couldn't like where he was born, if he had any friends or family, and more importantly what transpired that lead to him and the rest entombed in a freaking freezer.

 _Shit, I forgot about the children!_

Jogging back out, he regrouped with the children outside the locker room. Upon seeing David's gear, the children stared and there were 'Ohhhs' and 'Ahhhs' heard from some of the more excitable ones.

"Sorry kids, I got held up there for a sec. Anyway, I did say we were going to introduce ourselves and try to make sense of our situation right? I'll start. My name is David Kwan, but just call me David. I'm part of a search and rescue team. As for this place, I don't know what's going on or where we are either. I was hoping some of you kids might know seeing as I'm missing a sizable chunk of my memories. Why don't you all introduce yourselves one by one so we can all get to know each other and tell us the last thing you remember?"

Thankfully, they all spoke the same language and the children introduced themselves enthusiastically one by one. For the most part, they seemed like pretty ordinary kids. Taking a closer look, some of them couldn't have been older than four! While they were all unique in their own way, the eldest three of the large group were the most impressionable.

First, the eldest was a girl named Kate and she was eight years old. She was the tallest and had wheat blonde hair going down to her shoulders and tied up into pig tails via green ribbons. She had bright blue eyes that were accentuated further by her golden locks. Kate seemed the most mature of the group and from what he could tell, had very motherly disposition reinforced with a cheerful personality. Yes, she would be a good figurehead for the rest.

Second, was a boy named Jonathan. Jonathan was seven years old and had sharp Asian features that complemented his short, spiky black hair. He was soft-spoken and seemed introverted much like himself. Jonathan seemed like the kind to express his thoughts and feelings through actions rather than words alone. He could see him being the voice of reason among a sea of chaos.

Lastly, was …Petro? He was a boy of seven years as well and had handsome features that complemented his hazel nut hair. Among the three, he was the most friendly and outspoken, his eyes conveying every emotion. He would do well promoting unity and cohesiveness among the children.

Though…Petro…as in petroleum? No…he probably heard wrong, the child did have an odd accent he couldn't place.

"Sorry, I didn't get that…did you say Pedro?" he asked to clarify in a sheepish manner. Thinking he was losing his hearing at such an early age, David felt sad.

"Petro!"

"Pedro?"

"Petro!"

"…Pedro."

"No, silly! Petro!" exclaimed the exuberant boy with a bright smile.

"…"

"…."

"….."

 _WHO THE FUCK NAMES THEIR CHILD PETRO?! NO, SERIOUSLY?! HEY PETRO, CAN YOU CHECK THE PRICE OF GAS FOR ME? HEY PETRO, CAN YOU FILL UP THE CAR FOR ME? HEY PETRO, DID YOU JUST PASS SOME…GAS? GET IT? GET IT?! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH WOULD YOU FUCKING NAME YOUR KID THAT?! HOLY METER LONG HORSE SHIT ON A STICK! JUST WHY?_

David's right eyelid did a mad dance and he forced a smile.

"I see, that's a very unique name. Your parents must have wonderful taste."

"Yeah! When I become older I'm going to name my baby Diesel!"

…

David's smile immediately flatlined.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Uwahh I didn't think time could pass by so fast between chapters.

Sorry for the wait everyone, though I tried to make it up by making it a bit longer of a chapter.

Anyway, I tried throwing in some humor to alleviate the dim atmosphere and to show a bit of David's personality.

Yeah, not much action yet, but there will be. I promise you. **;-)**

As always thanks for reading!

Drop a review so I can see what you think!

Reviews are like fuel for me and I do enjoy reading them!

See you all in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 4

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 4**

From what he had learned from the little introduction, it seemed the group of children with him did not have a clue why they were here or where this was either. They had tried calling out for anyone and he tried opening some of the doors around them but most of them wouldn't budge even with the emergency release instructions. The ones he could open were simply used for the storage of electronics, components, parts, and other miscellaneous items.

"Hey, I don't think we're going to get anywhere by staying here. We're going to go down this tunnel and see what's ahead. Kate. Jonathan. Petro. As the oldest ones here, I want you to make sure the others are on their best behaviors alright? We don't know what's further ahead and I don't want to risk anything bad happening. Can you do that for me?" instructed David as he kneeled down to eye level towards them.

"Yes mister, I mean David." Kate affirmed. Jonathan nodded silently and Petro smiled up at him.

"Alright kids, we're heading out. It's important you stick together okay? I don't want you getting lost because I don't know the layout of this place. Kate, Jonathan, and Petro will act as your big sister and brothers alright? If you need anything or have anything to say, just tell them okay? No need to be shy."

With that, they began their trek up the dimly lit tunnel. The children were all talking in hushed and excited whispers like they were going on an adventure. David smiled, this certainly did feel like one. A part of him wanted to remain optimistic, but remembering the corpses of the few children and adults upon awakening did little to reassure him. The sheer terror exhibited by the woman and those two men, the way they were postured like they were trying to get out of their icy prisons still haunted him. It was clear that something had gone wrong. David couldn't help but feel uneasy.

 _Could…that have been me? The children? Just what is going on? What is the purpose of putting us in a frozen state like that? The fact that we all have amnesia to some extent doesn't make any sense either, you can't just…tamper with memories like that, can you? Or maybe this was unforeseen?_

He was not all that knowledgeable, but even he could piece together that whatever those pods were, they were meant to keep them preserved somehow. The question was, for what? What had happened that required such a measure? His previous thoughts of some form of apocalyptic event resurfaced.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, David refocused on observing their surroundings as they ascended.

The more ground they covered, the more and more underdeveloped their surroundings became. There was still basic infrastructure and framework present, however it looked incomplete and rushed.

The hushed chatter of the children had decreased as they had probably run out of topics for small talk. They too had begun to observe their environment in silent curiosity all the while the three of the eldest did their best to herd them along.

As they continued walking, they ended up at another steel door of sorts but only taller and wider. It had numerous locking mechanisms on it with faded yellow paint depicting the words 'CAUTION'. Heading up a small flight of metal stairs that lead to a small platform, David noticed a control panel of some kind. On the control panel, there was a big red button and a hand lever tilted towards the words 'CLOSE'.

 _I'm assuming these are the controls to open the door. The door sure looks sturdy. What worries me is why? To have it so solid and secure, it's either to keep us in…or to keep something out. Well, only one way to find out, not like there's any other choice…_

He pulled the lever back to the 'OPEN' position and hit the button. Like a giant awakening from a deep slumber, there was a loud groan and the orange alarm lights atop the door began to blink erratically. The periodic sounds of an angry horn could be heard screeching through the air. The steel doors had begun to slowly slide open as dirt and dust fell from up top. After a few seconds, the doors opened completely and came to a stop with a large boom, the outer exterior of the door was cleverly camouflaged to look like it was a part of the environment.

What greeted them was another tunnel leading up but this time their surroundings were filled with rock and dirt. It looked like a cave of some sort with the only illumination present coming from the hairline cracks and openings around them. Looking for anything out of the ordinary, David noticed that there were bits of wire and machinery strewn about randomly on the ground.

"How strange…" David muttered under his breath.

As they continued their stroll, it felt like an hour had passed by. Without something to keep the time, it was hard to tell how long they had been walking. Keeping an observant eye on his surroundings, David noticed that the further they went, the cave walls seemed to display an increasing number of deep grooves that looked like they were made by giant claws as well as bullet holes. There was also an innumerable amount of rusty bullet casings scattered around. The claw marks…they looked so familiar.

Suddenly, brief flashes of blurry images forced their way into his mind.

He couldn't make out what they were, but he could tell the figures he saw in his mind were twice his size. The figures were a haze of pure white standing in the distance, where their eyes should be were two blood red spheres and their mouths a dark gaping crack that was a mockery of a grin.

His breath hitched and the hairs on his neck stood on end.

He didn't know why, but the sight of those ghastly… _ **things**_ gave him a dreadful feeling that made him stiffen up in fear. There was something at the back of his head screaming at him, trying to tell him something. However, he just couldn't seem to figure out what it was, why it made him feel so frightened, or why his first reaction was to reach for the pistol on his hip. He knew he was forgetting something crucial, but worrying right now would be pointless without more info. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he opted to ignore the gnawing feeling at the back of his mind for now and carry on.

After a few more minutes of walking, they soon ended up at a fork with two tunnels. Seeing this, David licked his right index finger, raised it up in the air and waited for a few moments.

"Hmmm…the air flow seems to be coming from the right side. Alright kids, I know you're tired of walking but we're almost out of here. Bear with me for just a little longer, it's just a wee bit more until we see some sunshine."

The kids all gave him their own versions of a mini death glare and groaned in exasperation. He could see Kate doing her best to encourage them and cheer them up. David joined Kate and decided to lighten the mood by making an ugly face and dancing around while croaking out shrill, funny sounds. Immediately, the children giggled at his "performance", their complaints from earlier forgotten. David smiled at the scene before him. The first thing a person might think about children in a situation like this, was how fragile and emotionally weak they were, but kids could be surprisingly resilient and rebound faster than any adult could hope to.

As David continued to look on during their little break, his ears picked up on something in the distance and he swiveled his head towards the forked tunnels.

* _Click click_ *

It was barely audible, but the little sound seemed so out of place he couldn't help but notice it.

* _Whump_ *

The sound just now was like something heavy hitting the ground.

* _Whiiirrr_ *

"Shhh! Listen! Do you hear that?" David questioned them in a hushed voice.

At first there was silence, but after a few seconds there was another sound.

* _Whump_ *

"I think it's coming from the left hole…" Jonathan quietly muttered. The sound seemed to be growing louder and heading towards them.

"Kids, I want you step further back behind me."

David drew his pistol and switched the safety off. Whatever was making those sounds, it sounded mechanical. Was it machinery? That didn't seem to make any sense since there wasn't any electrical source. Actually, why would there be machinery in a barren cave like this in the first place? Maybe there was people? Feeling hopeful for a second, David decided to call out to whoever was out there.

"Umm, hello? Is anybody there? Can you hear me?" hollered David.

Silence.

There wasn't any sound for a minute, but then they heard a series of random noises.

* _Click click_ *

* _Whiirrr_ *

…

* _Whump_ *

…

* _Whump_ * * _ **Whump**_ * * _ **Whump**_ *

Whoever or whatever was over there had definitely heard him and it was getting closer and closer at an increased pace. Feeling something was wrong, he gritted his teeth and levelled his pistol towards the sounds in trepidation.

"Whoever you are, please respond if you can hear me and come out slowly!" David hollered out with a stern voice.

He was not liking this, this was not normal human behavior and neither were those noises.

They waited until they heard one final thump on the ground. They could begin to make out two pairs of glowing orbs bobbing up and down ahead. As they approached them, a thin stream of light above illuminated two figures in front of them. They looked like bipedal creatures made of metal with hunched backs and a spherical head. There were no other facial features besides their empty glowing eyes. Their torsos were a simple metal casing, their legs looked like metal paddles, and their arms looked thin by comparison.

"What the heck, are those…robots?" muttered David with a perplexed tone. He faltered and lowered his pistol slightly. The children were looking on in awe, especially Petro whose eyes were sparkling and his smile was so wide he thought it'd split his face. David was at a loss about what to do, he was about to address the supposed robots before one of them spoke.

"An-aN-an-DroiDS? An-droids? ANdRoiDs."

…

"D-desTRoy! DeStROY!" yelled the other one.

"K-K-kiLL…KILL!"

"KILL!"

" **KILL**!"


	6. Chapter 5

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 5**

 _What the hell?_

" **K-Kill! Kill!** "

The spherical heads turned towards them erratically and their red glowing lens eerily homed in on the group. The two mechanical figures began to advance towards them with mechanical hops, a resounding thump that slightly shook the ground with every landing.

"Stay back!"

David pointed his pistol at them, aligning the iron sights on one of their heads.

"Last warning! I don't care _who_ or _what_ you are! Stay back or I _will_ fire!"

Seeing the two robots ignore him and continue hopping, he took a couple steps back and turned towards the children.

"What are you doing?! Don't just stand there gawking! Those aren't your friendly robots you see on television! Stay as far away as you can and make sure you cover your ears!"

The group of children jumped in shock at the volume in which David barked his orders. The stern and downright frightening expression that David wore when they first encountered him had returned, only this time he was far more animated. They were frozen in place and shook with fear at the sudden change in ambience, their eyes displaying to David their panic and anxiety. It was only a few minutes ago they were all laughing and playing with each other, the sudden spike in alarm and stress confused their immature minds.

"Tch! Kate! _Please_! Make sure to cover your ears as well!" David pleaded in a tone not as harsh as before.

"Y-yes Mr. David!"

He could see tears threatening to overflow and trickle down her cheeks as she struggled to keep her cracking voice from stammering. Kate quickly rounded up the children and dragged them towards the tunnel exit they had come out from and hid.

Turning around again, he saw that the two bipedal machines were only a couple meters away, practically right in front of him with their thin robotic arms reaching out to seize him. David hadn't expected them to reach his position so quickly with their awkward method of movement.

"Shit!"

David rapidly fired off two rounds dead center into the head of one of the robots as the loud crack of the .45 resounded through the area. A deep, sizable dent appeared with the first shot before the second shattered a chunk of its facial plating on the right side. Underneath the thin casing of its head was what looked like a demented metallic skull now exposed for all to see. Its skull was a wireframe design with assorted wires underneath that gave a veiny impression and its two rows of metallic teeth settled into a perpetually disturbing grin. The damaged machine staggered at the impact before resuming its assault. David backpedaled and fired another two rounds directly into its now exposed skull. The two rounds were on point and he could see that whatever the components were in its head, gave way and were pulverized as the two bullets made their way out.

"K-KI-KILL..." it stuttered out before collapsing into a heap.

"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!"

The other machine that was behind it declared loudly as it revved up its arms and began to rotate them at high speeds while charging at David.

"Fucking hell, now what?" he grinded out.

He jumped out of the way and pulled the trigger three more times, striking its head as well. Its cranial armor shattered like its partner's too, causing its head to reel back slightly. It crumpled forward with the momentum of its arms and skidded to a stop beside David's feet. Just to be sure, he gave it a few hard stomps, only to receive no response.

"Phew…that was a bit too close…"

Feeling paranoid, he stood still and waited for any additional movement that may suggest it was still functional. After a minute had passed, he turned towards the tunnel exit where the children waited.

"Hey kids, I think its fine now. You can come out!"

 _Damn, I can barely hear myself…_

Firing his pistol multiple times in the enclosed space they were in had temporarily dulled his hearing. His ears ached and they were ringing like he was listening to constant feedback from a microphone. He could see the group of children standing in the dim light and trembling as they continued to muffle their ears with their hands. A bunch of them were openly sobbing and being held tightly by Kate, who also had tears streaming down her face. Jonathan and Petro did their best to distract the others, taking their roles as big brothers seriously. Though the two boys did their best to act confident, there were telltale signs of the terror they felt as well.

David felt his chest tighten up with guilt at what he saw. There wasn't anything he could do about the numerous loud gunshots that no doubt startled them, but he didn't mean to yell at them so harshly and neither did he mean to scare them so much.

He only wanted to protect them.

Perhaps he had overreacted, seeing as the "fight" almost ended as soon as it had begun.

Swallowing, he raised his voice once more and called out to them to get their attention. The children looked over towards him with fearful expressions, some unmuffling their ears and giving him questioning glances. He began to remove the empty magazine and load another one from his vest as he addressed them.

"It's over now, you can all-"

Before he could finish, Petro suddenly looked alarmed as did Kate. Jonathan was shouting something and pointing at him. All the other kids were wide eyed, bobbing up and down while pointing at him as well with equally alarmed expressions. They seemed to be frantically shouting something but he couldn't hear them properly over the ringing.

"Kids? What are you doi-Urk!"

Something had grabbed his left ankle in a vice grip and he yelped in surprise. Looking at his feet, he noticed it was the second robot that he shot down moments ago. It was looking up at him, with the middle of its face caved in and its left eye shattered from the impact of the earlier bullets it was a victim of. It seems only two of the rounds had managed to penetrate its armor while the last one struck a part of its metallic skull, heavily denting it.

"Son of bit-!"

In a display of astonishing strength, the machine yanked him hard enough from below that David fell face first and landed on his chin. It was only his habit of gritting his teeth in stressful situations that saved him from biting his own tongue.

"Argh! Fuck!" David bit out in pain as he held his chin. The sudden fall caused him to drop the magazine he was holding earlier and it slid away from him.

"Shit!"

David quickly reached out for it before he was stopped by a burst of pain in his ankle. Forcing down a scream, he felt the robot tightening its hold on him.

"Y-YOU will PAY for THIS!"

Even though its mechanical voice was no longer functioning properly, it still managed to convey its message. The single remaining optic boring into his own eyes gave David the impression this was no mere unthinking automaton. The emotional response of this thing clashed with his knowledge of unthinking and unfeeling machines. Facing down the intertwining ideas he thought only existed within fiction felt so surreal to him, yet here it was, given form, trying to end him. Unable to think straight due to panic from the increasing pressure on his foot, David started to repeatedly kick it in the face with his other heel as hard as he could.

"LET! GO! OF! ME!" exclaimed David, each word punctuated by the sound of a shoe meeting metal.

Seeing his kicks produce little to no effect, he had enough and decided to end this as quickly as possible. In a show of dexterity, he swiftly flipped his 1911 Commander and caught it by the slide. Growling in pain-fueled anger, David proceeded to bash the machine's cratered face in the area where a bullet had warped the inner frame. He repeatedly struck the heavily dented area like he was an axe-wielding madman, the steel corner of the 1911's bottom acting like a vicious club.

"Just die already!"

With the repeated heavy blows, the damaged frame succumbed and the end of the pistol soon crushed whatever was in the head of the machine. The wiry fingers that clutched his ankle soon fell limp. Gasping for breath from the sudden exertion, David rolled onto his side and gingerly got up, wincing at the lingering pain he felt. Lifting the hem of his jeans, he noticed a nasty purple bruise beginning to form above his ankle and felt the bone of his chin throbbing intensely as well.

"David!"

He turned around and saw the kids rushing towards him, their looks of concern displayed openly.

"Are you ok? Does it hurt?" asked Petro. The boy was fretting over him as did the other children. Jonathan had picked up the magazine he dropped and handed it back to him, his eyes giving David a once over in search of any other injuries and nodded in satisfaction when there wasn't.

"Yes, I'm fine and thank you. Alright, please listen carefully, we need to get out of here ASAP. I don't know if there are more of these things down the left tunnel and I don't plan on finding out. We're heading straight through the right tunnel, I don't think the exit is very far."

Though his announcement was delivered without a hint of hesitation, David couldn't help but feel a little shaken from what had just transpired. Thinking back on it, he felt so frustrated with himself. How could he have gotten so careless and got himself stuck in such a helpless state?

As the rest were gathering up and heading towards the tunnel on the right, he noticed Kate was standing still and looking up at him with pink eyes, though she tried to avoid eye contact.

 _Oh right…_

Kneeling to eye level, he stroked Kate's head.

"Hey sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to lose my temper back there. It must've been pretty scary with the loud bangs as well. You did an excellent job earlier leading the children! You're their big sis so don't cry ok? The children are going to get mad and beat me up for making you cry…" murmured David as he softly smiled and made a pleading gesture with his hands.

Kate rubbed one of her eyes and a bashful smile was beginning to form on her lips as she looked down at her feet. Seeing she was fine, David gave her back a quick pat and started walking. Together they both joined up with the rest and headed out posthaste.

As David predicted earlier, the exit wasn't that far at all as It had only taken them a short while of jogging before they saw light at the end of the tunnel. Accompanying the radiant light was the sound of rushing water splashing on stone in the distance. The excited chattering and light atmosphere had returned once again, filling the air with a buzz of elation.

With a newfound sense of hope and motivation, David and the children proceeded towards the exit with determined faces.


	7. Chapter 6

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 6**

"Whoa…"

Green. Green was all they could see. The landscape encompassing them was certainly a sight for sore eyes compared to the dreary and dispiriting cavern they had managed to escape from. Taking in deep breaths, they all savored the incredible feeling of fresh air filling their lungs. The feeling was enhanced further as they remembered the musty air they had been breathing all this time down in the tunnels. Stepping further out of the cave entrance, they began to look around and take in their surroundings. Although there was a dense wall of trees and foliage that cut off their vision from the front, there was still plenty to observe in the area that indicated they were not in any immediate danger.

There was an overgrowth of trees, plants, and grass as far as they could see. Numerous small boulders and debris were scattered around on the ground, most of them congregating at a nearby stream. Its soft trickle complimented the scenery they found themselves in, gently soothing them inside. The air around them seemed to be permeated with a hazy mist, giving the setting a mystical quality. The children were all wide-eyed in amazement and their mouths slightly hung open in awe. Seeing this, David couldn't help but smile in understanding. Again, he couldn't help but envy how simple children could be, completely forgetting previous troubles in favor of excitement and intriguing stimuli presented before them.

"Well, this wasn't what I was expecting when we got out. This certainly is nice to look at eh?"

The children all nodded their heads, transfixed in wonder.

"Still, we have to find out where we are first. We're probably in some kind of national park or hiking trail of some sort, at least I think we are. Though, I guess it wouldn't be any use asking you guys how we got here in the first place."

David sighed and scratched his head.

Truthfully, David didn't know if this place was really a park, a hiking trail, or even just far out wilderness. He had only told the children that to put himself at ease. His memories might be fragmented and full of holes, but he just knew that the last place he was in was within an urban environment. He liked to think that he was a normal, sensible person. Any sensible person with even a hint of common sense would be more prepared and wouldn't just carry a handgun with them if they were heading out deep into the woods.

 _Come to think of it, that place is settled in a pretty questionable area. An underground lab within a cave out in the middle of nowhere? Don't even get me started on those bullet casings down in the cave, it looked like a mini war zone in there. I work with search and rescue teams along with medical care. I definitely don't remember working there, whatever that place is. Again, more questions with no answers._

 _Wonderful._

With apprehension, he gave a final scan of the area before turning towards the children.

"Hey, I know you're itching to go out and explore this place, but I need to make sure it's safe first. I need you to stay here for a few minutes and keep out of sight. I'm going to go and check it out first okay? It'll be quick, I promise."

The children started to pout and voice their displeasure, but relented as they understood the logic. Despite the dissent, they still seemed bubbly and filled with anticipation. He turned his head in the direction of the eldest three and lightly pulled them to the front of the group. Smiling, David crouched down to eye level and started to softly speak.

"Jonathan, Kate, Petro. You all did a spectacular job earlier guiding everyone, that takes some real leadership skills to pull off. I don't think I could have done it all alone. Thank you for everything you've done so far. I really appreciate it."

Kate and Petro looked abashed, the two of them struggled to curb their smiles while Jonathan looked away and tried to appear impassive. The smudge of pink on his cheeks betrayed his demeanor though.

Chuckling, he stood up and ruffled their heads.

"Alright, I'll be counting on you three again. Everyone listen up! I'm going to go out now to survey our surroundings to see if it's safe to travel. I want you all to go back in and wait near the entrance of the cave. Go in just a little deeper to stay out of sight, right behind this big rock. Make sure you behave and listen to your big brothers and big sister! If I come back and they tell me you've been bad…"

David tilted his head up and faked a scary face by widening his eyes and biting his lower lips. He paused for a second before slowly dragging a thumb across his throat.

Truly it was a terrifying visage that promised pain and misery for all who upset him.

That is…

If only there wasn't a couple nose hairs peeking out of David's left nostril.

The children all proceeded to laugh and giggle at David's expression. Even Jonathan, being as quiet as he usually was, couldn't help but let out a snort. Perhaps they would let him know about it later so the man can tidy himself up.

Seeing his threat did not have the intended effect, David huffed and started to move out.

"I'll be back soon, so please don't cause any trouble!"

With that, David headed towards the stream and followed it down.

 **0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0**

It had only been a few minutes since he began following the stream, but David had already begun to regret walking out in the warm and humid weather. He was reminded just how hot, stuffy, and uncomfortable wearing body armor was in such temperatures. The vest trapped his body heat, causing his white dress shirt to stick to his body. His rolled-up sleeves only brought him minimal comfort. The jeans he wore were agonizingly snug, causing his underwear to be disgustingly damp with perspiration.

This was not his day at all.

As he continued to hike, he noticed that the rubble around the stream had started to take on more distinct shapes. They looked like they were pieces or chunks of something bigger. Bending over, he picked up a small piece and looked at it in further detail. Rolling it over in his fingers, it felt like it was made of coarse particulate material.

 _Hm? It looks and feels like concrete. That's strange, why is something like this so far out here?_

David continued walking till he ended up at a ravine. As he was about to trudge through it, he stopped and thought better of it. He felt hesitant to go any further as he didn't want to stray too far from the children. Instead, he backed up and decided to get a bird's eye view as scouting the area from a higher vantage point would prove more useful. Seeing the trees were tall enough and broad enough, he determined they could help him out with that. David began climbing up a nearby tree, drawing the knife from his vest to etch grooves as he made his way up. When he had reached an acceptable height, he tried not to look down and carefully balanced himself on a thick branch.

Squinting his eyes as he gazed out, all he could see at first was more woodland and forest. When he focused his eyes some more, he realized that wasn't the case. Off in the distance, he could see objects surrounding him that did not make any sense to him. To his left, he could make out a round outline with what looked like small boxes hanging on it right above the edge of the tree line. A Ferris wheel? Even further to his right, he saw a blurry shape that looked like the telltale, gravestone buildings of a city. With how fuzzy the outline was due to the distance, David couldn't be sure if it really was a city but he felt a small sense of elation anyway. However, the most confusing of sights were the dilapidated castles poking out from the vast forest in front of him and the oversized animals.

 _What the heck? I don't remember wild boars being that big! What about those robot things from before? Never mind the animals and robots, why are there castles and a Ferris wheel out in the middle of nowhere?! Where are we? I don't recognize anywhere with castles or forests with trees as big as these. Wait, wasn't that a city I saw over there?_

 _It must be, it just_ _ **has**_ _to be!_

 _Crap, but that's so far away! Judging from the distance, it would take_ _ **days**_ _for me to get there on foot, let alone having a large group of children tag along! This means we need water, food, shelter, and other tools. We would have to make frequent stops, build a makeshift tent or portable shelter of some kind to camp during the nights, forage for edible food, make sure there isn't any danger along the way, and the children must be taken care of as well. We don't have any supplies or any form of communication! Even if we did hike it out and get to that city, this is assuming we don't run into anything or get lost in the wilderness along the way!_

 _Damn it, we won't make it! We just can't!_

 _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_ _ **FUCK!**_

Countless thoughts and worries started swamping David's mind. As he was being overwhelmed, he began to feel lightheaded and was starting to lose his balance. As his eyes bulged with alarm at his poor footing, he was shocked out of his reverie and tightened his hold on the tree. After he steadied himself, he stayed still for a few minutes and took the chance to catch his breath. He had closed his eyes and gasped for air to calm his frenzied state.

 _Shit David that's no good, you need to get a grip on yourself. Breathe in. Breathe out. You need to remain calm. Think rationally. Getting so stressed out like that for nothing, how embarrassing. You can't help yourself or the children if you start panicking now. Who said you had to make the trip right away? Just settle down near the cave for now, sort everything out before heading to your destination._

 _You don't have a radio, phone, or any flares to contact anyone. For shelter, you can just build a round lodge or the classic lean-to shelter with your knife as you go, there are plenty of branches and trees after all. The days are hot and the nights will probably be chilly, but that wouldn't be a problem since the kids all have warm clothes on. Supplies and other necessities can be gathered a little later after you've organized yourselves, you won't die immediately right? I mean, you saw that there were boars out there, plenty of vegetation, and for heaven's sake you were following a stream you dunce. That's potential food and water right there. You should go back now, you've been away long enough. Who knows if there are more of those robot things out there…_

David's eyes opened abruptly and widened with dread.

He overlooked something important.

He had told the children to stay put and out of sight. However, this didn't mean they couldn't be found. They were hiding in front of the cave behind a large, slanted slab of rock that concealed them from the outside. However, he didn't consider that they were exposed to the cave where he was _attacked_ by those robots not even an hour ago and he didn't know if there were more in the cave or if there were any out here. David palmed his forehead and grit his teeth in frustration at how he let himself get distracted by the surroundings as well. He quickly began to descend and monkeyed his way down the giant tree using the grooves he had made earlier. As he was nearing the ground, he missed a foothold in his haste and tumbled down the rest of the way. He had been fortunate enough to land on the grass and not into the rocky ravine. David groaned in pain before he hurriedly got up.

 _Oh God, I hope I'm just being paranoid and there isn't more of those things near the children. Please let this be the case! Please!_

Just as David was about to sprint his way back to check on the children, he heard a sharp, audible crack of snapping twigs behind him.

…..

His expression stiffened. He froze in place and slowly turned around. As he saw what was behind him, his mouth hung open in shock.

"Fuck. Me."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Hey everyone, it has been a long time since I updated.

Sorry about that, writer's block and RL got to me yada yada yada.

If anyone's curious about where they came out from, its outside the world map you'd see in game. If the desert region and the forest region are situated near the north, I'd say David and the children are somewhere in the north-east. Far enough to see only forest with very blurry outlines of the city ruins and amusement park just above the horizon. I'm only making a guess here based on the map I'm looking at so I can't say it's 100% accurate. We just don't have enough info on the geology of the rest of the N:A world so I might take a few liberties here and there regarding the environment.

Anyway, thanks for reading as always!

I hope you enjoyed it!


	8. Chapter 7

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 7**

Seldom was there ever a time where David found himself unnerved to the point he simply stood still not knowing what to do, at least as far as he could recall. David was a young man that carefully assessed the situation around him and took corrective action. It was what he trained to do after all. From searching for overly ambitious explorers that have gone missing in remote areas to actively providing aid to people in immediate distress or imminent danger, these situations required a calm, collected mind. As stressful and daunting some of his calls were, they demanded foresight and a thorough understanding of his terrain. He usually had protocol and further instructions provided to him over a radio should anything unexpected rear its ugly head. David never hesitated for long because he knew he'd never be alone without some form of backup. The circumstances he found himself partaking in the past never gave him a reason to lock up in uncertainty.

Until now.

The territory he was walking in was unfamiliar and he couldn't make head or tail of the topography. He was also alone without any form of communication with the world. The systematic structure and rational guidance he was so accustomed to were no longer there to support him.

Ever since David awoke from his slumber, he had been constantly afflicted with the hollow feeling of being lost and out of his element. It was this exact moment where these feelings were most pronounced, the quickening of his heartbeat proving his anxiety. He not only found himself frozen in uncertainty, but in fear.

How could he not? It only made sense when factoring in the alien sight before him.

Upon gazing up at what was behind him, David didn't dare twitch a muscle. Even his breathing was slowed to brief and shallow inhalations. He kept a steady gaze at the thing before him, like a deer before oncoming headlights.

It was a robot like the ones he had encountered before yet different at the same time, or more accurately two beings in one. They were much larger and more defined then the last ones, evident by their more refined bodily attachments. Their torsos boasted denser and sturdier shells that were natural armor against the elements. They were decorated with primitive looking armor colored in black and red paint as opposed to the rusted exterior of the previous machines he was attacked by, giving them an aura of greater significance. Thick legs that genuinely looked functional and reinforced arms that could be utilized for heavy duty tasks moved smoothly like they were freshly oiled. Alone, these were intimidating enough, however that wasn't all that David was concerned about.

The rider's arms were equipped with a wicked looking polearm.

The mount's lithe, mechanical legs sported razor sharp blades on each leg.

Both figures looked ready for action.

What David was observing weren't the underdeveloped machines in the cave. These ones were strangely fashioned, showing off an outlandish appearance akin to that of a mechanized version of a medieval cavalry unit. The 'knight' and 'mare' both peered down at him in silence. They too were motionless, the tilt of the knight's horned helmet being the exception. The silence they were engaged in only lasted for a few moments before the thing spoke.

"Even now, when we intend to expand our prosperous kingdom, we are impeded once again by you androids. You invaders do not know when to stop your pointless actions. Like cockroaches, you are everywhere. Uninvited. Unwanted. Hiding in the shadows, you wait to infiltrate. You refuse to die or let up. You have already taken our king away from us! How much more will our denizens suffer before you stop?!"

…

"How many more of you will I have to slay before you cease your attacks on our home?"

Taken aback by confusion, David took a step back and gaped with consternation at the mounted figure. Stunned, he figured that physical appearance wasn't the only thing different about them. He had been expecting a string of curses and threats flung at him again when it spoke, not a coherent accusation.

"W-what? What are you talking about? No, what are you?!" David questioned.

"SILENCE! There is no need for words! Insects are not acknowledged, only crushed! I will destroy you in the name of the Forest Kingdom, interloper!"

"Now perish! This is vengeance, no, retribution for my king!"

The "horse" raised its bladed front legs, and without warning, swung them down at David's head. Gasping in alarm, David dodged by lunging to the ground. Without pause, the attack continued with the armored rider plunging its spear in David's direction, hoping to impale him.

Seeing the incoming thrust, David rolled out of the way before jumping back on to his feet. He drew his stainless steel companion and focused the sights on his opponent. The spear that punctured the ground where David previously lay was gouged deeply into the earth.

Dangerous.

"Hey, stop it! What the hell are you doing! Let's talk this out! I don't even know who you are, what you are, or what you're going on about! All I know is that I have nothing to do with it! In the first place, I don't even know where I am or what's going on!"

The man didn't know if the one before him would listen. However, there was no way he'd just stand there and take it. He had to get some answers. He was tired of not knowing anything and trudging through the dark.

"…Hmph. Not only are you androids cowardly wretches, but you would dare feign ignorance? After all you've done? Unforgiveable."

The spear it held was forcefully pulled up from the ground and readied once more. The menacing tip pointed towards David, ready to perforate him. David couldn't help but feel like he was staring down a knight that was preparing to joust.

' _Crap, why is it targeting me? The way it's speaking and acting, it really thinks it's a medieval knight or something! Not good, I need to get away. I can't fight this thing right now. I'm screwed if I get lost in a forest this big.'_

"Don't force my hand!"

David carefully took aim, his trigger finger twitching. Six meters. He couldn't miss at this distance, not with such a large target. Since it seemed more intelligent and advanced compared to the ones he wrecked in the cave, he hoped the threat of gun fire would force the robotic knight to back down.

Seeing that it didn't make a move, he was filled with relief, though it was short lived. Unfortunately, things rarely went that well for David. In a sudden move that showed off its great mobility, the quadruped leapt at him, poised to strike him down. Displaying his own brand of agility, David quickly responded with seven slugs of heavy hitting lead, emptying his magazine in one go.

All seven rounds faithfully hit their mark.

All seven rounds failed to stop the mechanical beast.

Again, David evaded the incoming attack and put some distance between him and his foe. The .45 ACP that David favored was no slouch. It was a powerful round that packed a mean punch, but it was still just a pistol round and thus lacked the power of a rifle cartridge.

The bullets flattened upon impacting their targets and bounced off their external, antique-looking armor. Both knight and mount were hit, but the only damage evident were small dings where the bullets left their mark. Despite the crude and shoddy construction of their protective equipment, it was still functional to some extent.

' _Looks like that crap is more than just a fashion statement…'_

David grimaced as he ejected the empty magazine from his pistol and placed it in his dump pouch before slapping in a fresh one. While the duo was still skidding to a halt, David took the opportunity to bolt away. He sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him in the direction he had come from. Looking backwards, he could see the four-legged machine already galloping towards him. Though the word 'gallop' came to mind, the way it maneuvered itself between the innumerable trees resembled a mix of ape and horse. It's armored rider skillfully held on despite the quick and jerky movements.

"GET BACK HERE!"

As David was halfway up the stream he followed, his progress was interrupted as the mechanical stallion nearly decapitated him with one of its bladed appendages. David's eyes were filled with terror as he backed up from his pursuer.

One second.

If he had stopped his sprint a second later, he would have walked right to his death. Reviewing the last few maneuvers of the machine in his mind, David understood just how outclassed he was. The robotic equine had managed to grab ahold a nearby tree and used its scythe-like feet to latch on and spin itself around the trunk at high speed. The accelerated movement from the rotation had enabled it to vault to a stop right in front of David, cutting him off, even at that distance. There was no way he could outrun it, unless…

"Damn it! Just leave me alone! Go fuck off and die already!"

In a bid to distract it, he swooped down and grabbed large handfuls of mud and pebbles. With a grunt, David flung the pile as hard as he could and showered the two with the debris in a large arc, temporarily obscuring their vision. This time, he darted off towards a different direction. He couldn't allow these things to follow him. He _wouldn't_ lead these things towards the children. The panicked man hurled himself into the heavy brush and headed toward the thick collection of hanging moss he saw earlier. The thick brush stood even taller than him, providing sufficient concealment. He drew his knife and cut enough foliage to cover himself as he lay prone. Despite the clashing colors of his clothing, the foliage was thick enough to completely envelop his figure and perfectly camouflage David within the sea of greens and browns.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Three minutes and then some.

He didn't know how long he lay there in hiding, but the consistent trembles he felt through the ground caused his nerves to fray with each passing second. He could hear and feel the frustration the machine "felt" as it continued its search for him, cutting away the tall grass in an attempt to draw him out. At times, it wandered close enough that David thought he might have been discovered. When he had sensed the machine had given up and finally wandered off into the distance, he slowly got up and resumed his trip towards the cave. Sprinting silently while keeping out of sight, his heart pounded as he hoped his worries were merely worries and that he wouldn't be caught by that mechanized monster or anything else. He did not want to see that thing ever again. By the time he had reached the front of the cave, he was completely out of breath and gasping for air.

"Kids! You guys there? It's me, David!"

His voice was hoarse and his throat was painfully tight with how parched it was. Beads of sweat trickled down his face from the exercise and his cheeks flushed red. When there was no response, he had feared the worst. Thankfully, David was saved from an episode of broken down sobbing filled with self-blame when the familiar sight of straw-blonde hair peeked out from the slanted rock. He would've never forgave himself if anything happened to his pint-sized followers.

"Mr. David? Mr. David! Are you alright?! Is everything ok? W-we heard more bangs again…" Kate asked, with concern laced in her voice as she noticed David's disheveled appearance.

Hearing that their guardian had returned, the rest of the children made their way to the front as well. They walked up hesitantly, caution displayed on their tiny faces.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine. You wouldn't believe what I saw out there. Let us all sit down behind the rock, we still need to stay out of sight. I'll catch my breath first, then I'll tell you guys all about it. I need to address a few things, actually."

David breathed in deeply and quietly to alleviate some of their concern. He noticed he was having trouble recovering his stamina. He was feeling woozy again and unexpectedly weak. It was strange how a little bit of physical activity caused him to feel so nauseous. After a moment of contemplation, he merely attributed it to hunger and dehydration.

"While I was away, did you all happen to see or hear any-"

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by the rustling of leaves behind him. Whipping his pistol around, he directed his line of fire towards the noise and expected the worst.

…

Walking out from a curtain of leaves and branches was a slender girl in black.


	9. Chapter 8

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 8**

"Hmm?

David blinked repeatedly at the unexpected scene.

It was another human, a human girl specifically.

Besides the children, she was the only other person he'd come across.

' _Does that mean there's civilization nearby?'_

To say the girl was clothed was an overstatement. She was barely clothed, nearly nude if it wasn't for her choice of frisky attire. All she had on her was some sort of silky, black abdominal covering and shorts that rode up far too high. Even baby doll lingerie seemed to have more covering than her choice of fashion. Her long white hair delicately framed her elegant facial features. This, in combination with the graceful and confident way she walked made her a sensual sight as her hips noticeably swayed with every step. She looked mildly curious, intrigued as she slowly made her way over. Though he could see a glint of interest in her eyes, it was only a minor spark. Her pale blue eyes looked tired, as if she had seen too much in her life time. They reminded David of a couple military veterans he had worked with in the past.

He could tell she wasn't one to express much emotion outwardly, if the air of apathy he felt coming from her was anything to go by. Despite the grime that stained the surface of her porcelain skin, he had to admit that she was a very beautiful girl, almost like a doll. David would have felt nervous around her as a shy but healthy specimen of the opposite sex if he hadn't picked up on other concerning details.

The attractive young girl who couldn't have looked older than twenty, had a massive blade behind her paired with another sword that looked like a fancy katana. Both blades had intricate designs and clear, crisp engravings. The scratches on their bodies declared to the world their part in countless battles.

They were also both hovering in place, with golden halos around their hilts

David had witnessed many unreasonable things so far, but the improbable sight before him was bordering on sci-fi and video game territory. Sure, he could handle advanced robotics, no problem. After all, David had seen the news and other documentaries regarding the latest in AI technology as well as other fascinating robotic concepts. This on the other hand defied physics.

Cleverly designed cosplay props perhaps? He was first introduced to anime and comic conventions during his first year in college. A classmate of his had brought him to the engineering wing once, so he knew just how ingenious some cosplay designs could be.

Then again, it was a far-fetched idea considering their setting.

' _A cosplay convention in the middle of bumfuck nowhere? Please.'_

David mentally scoffed at the mere idea. Whatever the case may be, it didn't change the fact that she was possibly a dangerous lunatic. No one with a sound mind would be almost naked taking a stroll in the wilderness while toting around fantasy swords on their back. This however wasn't what concerned him the most.

Another machine.

The fact that there was a floating metal box with arms and a blinking indicator light following closely behind the girl immediately landed her in David's "potential enemies" list.

' _I won't let my guard down. I've already done so twice. There won't be a third time, not another fuck up. Cosplay or not, this girl isn't normal. Especially when there's another blasted machine following her…'_

"Miss, please stay where you are."

Direct and polite. The request wasn't too harsh or authoritative, but diplomatic enough to not seem confrontational.

"What are you doing out here in the middle of the wilderness? Don't you know that's dangerous?"

The girl paused midstep and gave him a strange look. She opened her mouth to say something, but it was in a language David didn't recognize. It sounded like a mix of different languages garbled together. When she decided to close the distance once more, David cautioned her again with a lower and sterner tone.

"Please stop. Stay where you are and don't take another step. I'm warning you."

Due to the language barrier, both parties were unable to come to an understanding. Communication was the key to defusing many potential conflicts, David knew this especially well. He was much better now, but there were many times he was misunderstood by others in the past for his borderline antisocial behavior.

Maybe it was his unfriendly tone just now.

Maybe it was because he had a firearm pointed at her.

Maybe it was his naturally antagonistic facial features.

"Resting Asshole Face" was actually a thing after all.

…

Maybe it was all of the above.

Without proper context or comprehension, putting those facts together did not paint a welcoming image, especially for a newcomer who couldn't understand what you were saying. This was evident when the girl's face hardened as she drew the katana from her back in response to David's threatening tone.

"Drop your weapon!" David commanded.

He could tell things were about to go south. Normally, he'd try to gently defuse the situation when it came to an armed assailant. He found it uncharacteristic of him to take on such an aggressive disposition. Perhaps he was still high strung and riding off of the adrenaline from before or perhaps it was more than just his life on the line should things go FUBAR.

The girl swung her katana and pointed it at him. Her voice was calm as she addressed him once more in that alien language of hers, but there was no mistaking the hard edge that came with it. When David continued to stare at her and gave no indication of acknowledging her words, the girl stepped forward again and spoke more assertively, like she was demanding something.

"I don't know what the hell you're saying, but I'm not going to take your shit you crazy bitch. Drop. Your. Weapon. Now." David snarled.

Even though she couldn't understand David either, his unruly tone must have set something off within the girl as she began shouting something at him.

' _No doubt obscenities. Crazy_ _ **and**_ _a psycho. Just great.'_

David's attention was redirected to the floating machine behind the girl as it emitted a monotonous, robotic voice. The odd humanlike hand gestures it made with its mechanical arms suggested to him it was trying to placate and reason with the girl, only to be brushed off in a coarse manner almost immediately. Silenced by its more fiery companion, it floated away from the girl next to the stream and remained idle. The pale girl turned towards him once more and struck a stance, saying something in a questioning tone once more.

When David answered with silence, she sighed and abruptly charged at him, sword in hand glinting in the sunlight.

"Oh shit!"

Surprised at the sudden speed, David panicked and pulled the trigger on his 1911. The girl stopped her advance and raised her sword as if to guard against the attack.

*Click*

…

A cold sense of dread was now swelling up inside of David.

A misfire.

' _No! Shit! Why now of all times?!'_

She shot towards him.

"Fuck!"

He tossed his pistol aside and quickly drew his knife to meet her. He sidestepped and evaded a slash from her blade and reciprocated with a stab of his own towards her gut. With nimble, refined movements, she danced around him and struck again.

"Ngh! Do I have to tell you again?! Hide somewhere!" David yelled to the children as he continued to defend and weave around her attacks, nearly tripping over many times as he overextended himself to compensate against the reach of her sword. His anxiety was reaching a new high as he felt the blade of his knife begin to rattle loosely in its handle from the brute strength of the girl's strikes.

' _How the hell is she swinging her sword so hard and fast?! She's like a freaking twig!'_

Jolted out of their reverie, Kate once more herded the children away. She was visibly concerned and rightfully so, as she could tell David was struggling immensely to keep up with the stranger.

The white haired girl spared them a glance, as if she forgot they were there in the first place. Seeing her distraction, David redoubled his efforts and lunged forward. Her eyes widened with surprise as he grabbed her hands, twisted them, and used them as leverage to deliver a hard kick to her midsection which caused her to stumble a couple steps back.

Bewildered, she gazed down at her now empty hands. Looking back up, she could see her katana was now in David's possession.

He had managed to disarm her.

Now feeling confident, David ran up to end the fight with an overhead swing, intending on whacking her with the broad side of the blade. Just before the sword managed to make contact, it vanished from David's hands, leaving behind motes of ethereal golden light.

"What the?! Oh, come on!" David exclaimed in disbelief.

The katana had somehow relocated itself right back into her hands. As there wasn't any time to contemplate on whatever just happened, David continued his attempt at subduing his opponent. Not missing a beat, he grasped one of her legs and tried to slam her down with a grappling move before she could do anything else, only to find he couldn't make her budge at all.

' _How much does this girl weigh?!'_

"ACK!"

David's train of thought was interrupted as he bent over in pain when he felt like a heavy sledgehammer had just smashed the wind out of him. The girl had took hold of his vest and yanked him down to drive a sharp knee into his chest. Thankfully, the trauma plate in his body armor had absorbed most of the damage. However, he could tell it was now heavily warped due to the painful way an inward bulge was gouging into his chest. The nausea he felt before was now making itself known once again.

The two of them flailed around in circles as they both fought to gain the upper hand. David was having a hard time prying one of her hands off his vest while simultaneously keeping her sword arm at bay by maintaining an iron grip on it. The girl's abnormal strength betrayed her dainty, delicate appearance and it dawned on David that a contest of strength was not in his favor. As he continued to avoid additional strikes from her knees, he knew it was only a matter of time before he slipped up.

Feeling desperate now and unable to free himself, he decided to take a gamble.

David let go of her arms, quickly clutched her shoulders, and reared his head back.

With as much force as he could muster, he dove headfirst and bit into the tender meat of her left shoulder as hard as he could like a rabid dog, giving it a few rough jerks for good measure to deliver as much pain as possible. He could feel her body go rigid as she let out a cry of pain. Feeling her grip on his vest slacken, he swiftly ducked a bladed thrust and rolled back to gain some distance between them.

"Oh, what the fuck!?"

Suddenly, the sound of retching could be heard as David choked on a disgusting taste filling his mouth. He spat out as much of the oily, bitter, and spicy tasting fluid as he could. Feeling sick and dry heaving at the same time, he studied the girl through tearing eyes, now seeing her in a new light.

Not human.

That was all the proof he needed.

' _What the hell is she?'_

Human blood didn't taste or smell anything like that and it certainly shouldn't remind him of industrial chemicals. He could see her cupping her shoulder as a red, blood-like liquid oozed down from the wound. The girl was now gaping at him in astonishment, like she had encountered some kind of wild animal she'd never seen before.

She also looked extremely pissed.

Lifting his knife up in preparation, David began to circle around her. He searched for weaknesses, openings, anything that could allow him to end this fight. He actively struck at her, but each swing was either parried or avoided. He didn't know why, but instead of attacking back, she was attentively observing him.

David was starting to tire as his breath became more and more ragged with each agonizing second. It was at this moment he realized and understood exactly why he felt so unnaturally drained.

Atrophy.

It would certainly explain his sluggish motions, reduced stamina, decreased muscle mass, and the lightheaded feeling of bodily weakness.

He had noticed it earlier before while climbing the tree, but payed no mind to it in favor of more pressing matters. The fatigue had finally accumulated to the point he could no longer dismiss it. His joints stung sharply with exertion and the hand that held his knife was starting to spasm in protest. If atrophy was indeed the cause of these ailments, he and the children were asleep for longer than he thought. David concluded that the reason he was even able to stand let alone move around was because of the pods. They were likely designed to not only aid in their survival of whatever occurred, but to also preserve their physical integrity to some extent. Continuous mild electrical shocks perhaps?

' _Damn it. I need to put an end to this fast. I can't keep this up for much longer…'_

The situation became even more dire as his rhythm was broken. His increasingly wild slashes were interrupted when the girl finally decided to strike back. Her attacks had started slow before quickly reaching speeds that made her blade blur, forcing him on the defensive once again. David had to circle around many times to evade her lest he be forced onto unstable ground. The physical demand on his body was starting to take its toll, as his footwork became shoddy. David was panting heavily at this point trying his best to fend off her blitz and his side stitch under his left rib was becoming unbearable. However, he noticed that even though the girl was shifting at insane speeds, her movements were stiff, jerky, and awkward. Her expression was tinged with frustration, no doubt due to the fact she hadn't landed a single hit in their overblown game of cat and mouse. It was more than that though.

' _It's almost like she's struggling or holding something back. Is there something wrong with her? Is she on drugs or something? Oh wait, she isn't human. Whatever, this is my chance then. I really can't go on anymore. It's do or die now…'_

David's body could no longer take the strain and was about to succumb to exhaustion. Going all in, he carefully timed a swing aimed at his neck and ducked. With all of his remaining strength, he countered immediately with a vertical slash. He didn't care if he ended up killing her at this point, he just wanted this violent altercation to end.

"HAHHHHH!"

As he swung down with all the force he could muster, David was suddenly filled with a sense of vigor. The fog in his head cleared and his aches disappeared. He felt strange and empowered.

He felt invincible.

He felt like he could do anything.

He felt giddy with sadistic glee.

It also felt very wrong.

David didn't know where he felt this kind of rush before, it was a horrifically familiar feeling that made him sick to the stomach. All he knew however, was that it made him immensely more effective. The proof of this was in front of him as the girl faltered, her arms buckling underneath the blow she shielded herself from using her sword. Looking into her eyes, he could see she was stunned.

Seeing another chance, David tried to finish the fight but found himself paralyzed. The bizarre energy that filled him seconds ago, had left just as quickly as it had come. He felt a wave of vertigo wash over him as his body started to give out. He was forced to drop his knife as his hand started to fully cramp up and his knees began to feel like jelly. Without wasting a second, the agile girl positioned herself to finish what she started.

' _Damn, so this is how it ends…'_

As he braced himself for his imminent death, he heard a desperate cry filled with terror.

"DON'T HURT HIM! PLEASE DON'T HURT MR. DAVID! STOP! NOOOOOOO!"

David drew a sharp breath as something triggered inside of him, something long forgotten. His mind blanked out for the second time that day and was whisked away.

* * *

…

 _It was too late for these two._

 _It turned out this family was one of the many that didn't report to health services._

" _No! Please! Stop! Don't hurt my mom and dad!" begged the girl as she held on to his jeans._

 _He could feel her trembling; the gas and electricity had gone out of this district a week ago._

" _They're fine! They're just sick right now! Mom said honey and lemon water works wonders! Dad also said rest is good for the body when you're sick! They just need some time to feel better! Please!"_

 _He looked down towards the child, a look of pain lingering in his eyes as he made eye contact._

" _Ohh..grAK…haaAHHH…"_

 _Looking back towards the sound of hoarse groaning in the corner of the room, he gently murmured._

" _I'm sorry, but it's too late for them. They're too far gone…"_

 _His grip on the pistol tightened as he took aim once more. He had to do this before they turned._

" _No! Stop! STOP! I HATE YOU!" she sobbed, tears now freely flowing._

 _She was struggling now, tugging and kicking to try and stop him. He flinched as a shoe was thrown at his face, knocking his respirator out of alignment._

" _I'm so sorry, I truly am. I know you'll never forgive me, but I'm so sorry…"_

 _Two cracks rang out and echoed throughout the room._

 _He looked back towards the girl and was startled. His gut twisted with guilt and remorse._

 _He'd never forget the expression on the girl's face, so filled with hate and venom._

 _Her whimpering only drove the knife even further into his heart._

" _No. No. No. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

* * *

As his mind rebooted, he gasped in surprise.

"Whoa! What the hell was th-ARGH!"

David was broken out of his trance with a palm strike to his chin before receiving a piercing kick to the solar plexus. The painful strike had launched him into the air four meters back before his body landed with a soft thud onto the grass.

"Fuuuuuuck….." David moaned in excruciating pain. He lay there motionless, clutching his wound and sucking in the humid air at an uneven tempo.

As he was about to get up, his face was greeted with the tip of a sword pointed at it only centimeters away.

The girl, now looking disheveled, glared down at him. Her ice-cold eyes bore into his own dark chocolate orbs, as if challenging him. Still laying face up on the ground, he propped his forearms up and used them to support himself. David slowly lifted his torso up until he his neck touched the tip. Without hesitation he pushed a little further until a thin graze was visible, a tiny trickle of blood leaking out. Coughing, he turned his head aside to spit out a glob of bloody phlegm and simply returned her glare with one of his own.

' _Today just isn't my day, is it?'_

 **Author's Note:**

Wahhh…I've never written a detailed fight scene before so I'm not sure how this turned out. It took me a long time picturing the flow of the fight in my head and trying to put them into words was fairly challenging.

One moment I'm like "Aha!" and the next I'm scratching my head like "Oh wait…"

Fight scenes are hard yo!

I'm glad I was able to post something before Halloween though!

Anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts on how I did in this fight.

Was it bad?

Good?

Need improvement?

…

Complete garbage? Haha…

Post a review to let me know! Thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter! (^3^)


	10. Chapter 9

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 9**

Intrigue.

That was the first thing that she felt upon laying her eyes on the man in front of her.

It was also something she hadn't felt in a very long time. Something new and out of the ordinary had finally appeared, interrupting the monotony of the past seven years since her reconstruction.

The man wasn't like any android A2 had ever seen before, at least that's what she thought he was initially. He wasn't dressed like a Resistance member and neither was he equipped like one. They didn't have pistols as part of their standard gear after all. If he was a humanoid machine just like Adam and Eve, the Pod would have alerted her. According to the scans, he wasn't an android though. But If he wasn't, what was he? The way he _fought_ wasn't anything she'd ever encountered before either. He was far too weak and his movements much too slow, it just didn't resemble anything that was programmed into any type of android she knew of either. After all, there was no way such an erratic and inefficient fighting style would ever be part of any android's combat software, let alone a YoRHA soldier. It was almost…dirty. She would have felt like he was cheating, if there was such a thing in combat.

And yet, it worked.

Whatever the heck he was, she couldn't believe he managed to catch her off guard and wound her. Her! She had also never seen anyone use their teeth as weapons like that before. The wound on her shoulder still ached, but it paled in comparison to how much her pride currently stung. Someone as weak as _him_ did this to her? It was humiliating. Sure, she didn't take it seriously, but still…

It wasn't just holding back on A2's part.

Something strange was occurring during their brief scuffle.

There were fatal error notifications constantly sounding off and popping up in her display.

 **ERROR HX013: PLEASE ABORT CURRENT OPERATION AND CEASE ALL HOSTILE ACTIVITIES.**

 **BEHAVIOUR DIRECTIVE: SET ALL AGGRESSION LEVELS TO '0' IMMEDIATELY**

 **REFUSAL TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN SYSTEM SELF-TERMINATION OF UNIT: YORHA TYPE A NO. 2**

She had never seen that particular error before, the trouble it caused her was significant and operated directly against her will. Thankfully, she had picked up a few tricks from doing battle with a certain Scanner in the past. Although she was capable of getting around the troublesome problem, she was not skilled enough to completely fight it off. A2 had no choice but to remain immobile due to how much control it had over her. As a result, she was bombarded with knife strikes and struggled to defend herself as she was frozen in place. Her resistance had afforded her a limited amount of freedom, but her movements were incredibly strange and twitchy.

To put it eloquently, it was a pain in the ass.

Although, as perplexing as this turn of events was, it was not the highlight of the fight she had noticed.

The man had actually managed to counter the finishing blow at the last second and caused her to stagger. It was just for a split second, just a tiny glimpse, but A2 was sure of it.

Red eyes.

His eyes had briefly glowed red and in that tiny window of opportunity, he had overpowered her. She initially thought it was the Logic Virus, but quickly dismissed the thought as she would have known. Perhaps it was a trick of the light or her optics needed to be checked again. Seeing him in such a vulnerable state though, A2 disregarded these concerns in favor of more immediate curiosities.

Focusing her eyes towards the strange man once more, she jabbed the tip of Faith in front of his face as he tried to get up, a gesture demanding his surrender. To her surprise, the submission she was expecting didn't happen. Instead, he had given her a provocatively defiant glare and slightly pressed his neck forward onto the edge of her sword, causing a small trickle of blood to flow down his neck. The cut on his lip where she struck him with her palm was also leaking blood all over his chin and the sight of it all was made even more aggravating as he bared his teeth at her in anger.

It was an unspoken challenge filled with animosity.

It also did not do any wonders for A2's increasingly terrible mood, the clenching of her jaws a clear sign that her patience was reaching its limits.

"What's with that look? Heh, you should know when you're beat-Ugh! What the hell!?"

She flinched and hurriedly covered her eyes with her free hand.

Suddenly, the man knocked her sword sideways with the back of his hand and the next thing she knew was that her vision was obscured by a liquid mist of scarlet red.

…

 _I can't believe it._

 _Did he just do what I think he did?_

 _Did he really just spit and spray his gunk all over my face?_

…

 _This fucking asshole!_

Quickly wiping her eyes, she instantly homed in on him, obvious fury displayed on her freshly stained face. The man was desperately scrambling towards the nearby pistol he had tossed aside earlier.

"Get your ass back over here!"

Hearing the loud cry of indignation, he turned his head and noticed that A2 was only a couple meters away from his position. He reached into one of his pouches and whipped a solid metal object at her. Of course, there was no way he could have hit her with his stance being so off balance. For a moment, she glanced at the thrown object in confusion and noticed it was a spent magazine she assumed was for his gun. This only reinforced how bizarre he was in A2's eyes. She sighed before yanking him by his vest again and delivered a smooth kick, sweeping his legs off the ground. She pushed him down and straddled his chest, forcefully pinning him down to prevent any more trouble.

"Time to sleep you jerk." A2 gloated in triumph as she readied her fist to deliver punishment. However, right before she could do so, she was interrupted by a familiar monotone voice.

"Unit A2 should cease all violence towards this person immediately. Any further harm towards him will force me to intercept and take action."

Pausing in bewilderment, A2 slowly swiveled her head.

"What do you mean? This is the first time you've said anything like that. You better explain yourself. _Now_."

There was a moment of silence before Pod 042 spoke up again.

"Upon contact, an in-depth analysis reveals a startling conclusion. This individual is in fact…human."

Like a braking train, all thought came to a screeching halt.

"…Yeah, I think I really do need that long, overdue scheduled maintenance, especially my audio and visual. Do you mind repeating that, tin can?"

There was no way she heard that right.

"Repeat: This man as well as these children, are human. There is no signal or consciousness data detected from any of them. The analysis of this man's biofluids indicate it is from a biological source human in origin. Additional scans also show bones, muscles, organs, and other parts of the human anatomy. Any further violence is prohibited and will result in dire consequences."

A2 couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"…What? Human? That can't be right. There _are_ no humans left! You Pods should know this even better than us androids! First, we find out humans were extinct all this time but now they're suddenly not? Which is it? Just what else is being hidden away from us!? Answer me!"

Before she could continue her questioning, she heard a soft gasp. She would have missed it if it wasn't so sharp and out of place. Looking in the direction of the sound, her eyes settled on the group of children. Understandably, A2 hadn't paid much attention to them so far but now she was unsure of how to proceed, her expression visibly displaying her doubts. She was someone who harbored a deep-seated contempt for her human creators, of that there was no question. Now that she thought about it, pummeling this man felt slightly therapeutic now that he was revealed to be human. However, what she had never given thought to, was human _children_. She had all sorts of revenge fantasies in her head, but she never imagined anything like this.

She was no stranger when it came to dealing with children, but that was a long time ago at Pascal's village and they were machines. On the other hand, this was something of a different magnitude and it weighed heavily on her "heart". Seeing their fear-filled faces, gasping in fright at her loud burst of agitation filled her with an uncomfortable sense of guilt. They were huddled together in panic and It was almost as if they were witnessing the horrible acts of some barbaric monster.

She gazed down at the man, then looked back up towards the children again in uncertainty.

 _Was this guy protecting them from…me?_

…

 _No. No, that can't be right._

 _It's not supposed to be like this._

 _I'm not the villain here, I'm not!_

A2 turned around and addressed Pod 042 once more, her disbelief starting to waver.

"What the hell Pod?! They're really…human? But how? They can't be! If they really are human, why didn't you tell me?!"

Her eyes momentarily flitted towards the young group before settling back on her floating partner.

"Unit A2 did not allow me to finish my report before tersely brushing me off. While I understand A2 was designed for heavy assault in mind, the processing deficiencies apparent are quite…disturbing. An android should completely accept and process all necessary information during briefing, not ignore it and rush into combat. This course of action may result in unwanted and detrimental outcomes.

Recommendation: Perhaps Unit A2 should consult the android researcher: Jackass, about your ongoing experiment with Artificial Stupidity."

The passive aggression that radiated off Pod 042 at times had gradually increased over time, yet it was always hidden startlingly well with their robotic tones. She had picked up on the signs over the years and still wondered if it was fortunate or unfortunate of her having figured out its vocal inflections.

"Oh no, here we go again." A2 groaned in exasperation. Thinking back on it, it was probably unfortunate of her.

"To answer A2's query, I was not aware of their existence either. Until now, it was confirmed that humanity has been extinct for thousands of years. Our records reveal that they were wiped out long ago by a potent affliction called the "White Chlorination Syndrome" well before the aliens arrived on Earth. Project Gestalt was a preservation program put in place as a final attempt to secure humanity's future, however it ultimately failed. Although, perhaps there were other safeguards we were unaware of.

Proposal: Unit A2 should communicate and state her intentions. Assist our creators and learn about their situation. Be sure to correct any confusion and make amends as well as assess for any significant injuries caused by A2's carelessness."

"Oh, to hell with this…" A2 muttered under her breath in annoyance.

Sighing at the long-winded speech, she resigned herself and focused once more on the man she was currently sitting on. He had been silent all this time, staring at the exchange between her and the tactical support unit with a perplexed expression. Eventually, she lifted herself off his torso and took a step back before crossing her arms. Seeing no more need for them at the moment, she also deactivated her NFCS, Faith and the Type 4O Blade vanished in a curtain of light.

"Tch, I'm not going to kill you so stop looking at me with that stupid expression already and get up."

As if on cue, the man slowly picked himself up, grimacing and tentatively holding his midsection. Putting some distance between them, he continued to stare at her apprehensively. Before A2 could ask him anything, a string of words she wasn't familiar with was directed at her. It was almost funny the way he kept stumbling over himself trying to get through to her.

"Hypothesis: There is a language barrier."

"Oh really? You don't say!" A2 ground out sarcastically.

"This man has addressed us in five old world languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin as well as flawed attempts at Italian and Spanish."

"For fucks sake, if you can understand him, then make it so I can understand too you dumbass! We sure as hell aren't getting anywhere if we can't even understand each other!"

"Understood. Transferring language packages."

There was a moment of silence as the necessary software was being installed. Sensing the strangeness of it all, the man's body tensed up in preparation.

"Alright. Well? Can you understand me now, asshole?"

A2 was starting to feel immensely irritated at this point by all the trouble she needed to go through and it showed in her voice.

Immediately, the man's eyes lit up in recognition. The look of surprise was clear as day but quickly morphed into that of mockery and a wry smile made its way to his face.

A smile that did not reach his cold, dead eyes.

The man dusted off his vest and cleared his throat.

"Well, that's a nice 'how do you do?'. _This_ is the first thing you say after man-handling a stranger for no reason? No apologies or explanations? What a wonderful first impression! Really though, if you were planning on _fucking_ me up the ass so hard, I would have appreciated it if you took me out to dinner first. But for what it's worth, it's nice to meet you too, you fucking cunt."

…

A2 could do nothing but stare at the man in shock.

 _What_ did he just call her?

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO I'M LATE!

Sorry everyone, it seems this took longer to get out than I thought. Real life and writer's block can be a bitch.

Better late than never I guess…

Oh and before I forget, for those of you living in snowy regions like me **PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY!**

A few days ago while I was driving, my car flipped and got completely totaled. Thank God nothing happened to me though. Please beware of black ice hidden under fresh snow on the roads and take extra care when turning on bends! Take your time on the highways when snow is blowing hard on your windshield and obscuring your field of view. It doesn't hurt to drive just a little slower when visibility is so low.

Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Years!

Stay safe everyone and take care!

If you have any thoughts or comments, fire off a review!

See you all in the next chapter!


	11. Chapter 10

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 10**

"…Alright, so clearly we got off the wrong foot."

Rubbing his freshly swollen cheek, David attempted to break the uncomfortable silence that had been stretching on for the last five minutes.

"Wow! You have eyes! Congratulations!"

…

David's eyes twitched and a tight, forced smile slowly formed on his lips. Recalling what had transpired only moments ago, he could already tell this was going to be a troublesome hurdle to jump over. Considering the result of their first verbal exchange, he was beginning to regret his first words. Admittedly, he should have chosen better words to say, but he felt that nobody could have blamed him given the circumstances. It had only been a few hours since he got out and in that short span of time, he had almost died three times already. Twice from killer robots and once from this scantily dressed psycho bimbo with swords.

Maybe four if he counted losing his footing and falling out of a fucking tree.

What a shitty day.

As could be expected, the violent girl had not taken too well to being called a cunt. She had launched herself at him and grabbed a fistful of his hair. Hard. With such force behind the pull, he was honestly surprised there wasn't a bald spot. A loud squack was generated from him in surprise but even that was quickly silenced by a sharp slap just as loud. David suspected that there would have been more abuse hurled his way if the machine that accompanied the girl hadn't intervened.

He let out a tired sigh. It was going to be a very long day.

"I think it's best if we get the introductions out of the way and move onto something more productive. My name is David. David Kwan. It's…nice to meet you." David hesitantly said as he offered his hand to her.

"Did I ask?"

…

 _What. A. Bitch. For fucks sake, I'm_ _ **trying**_ _to be civil here. Work with me so we can get things rolling, damn it! Why the hell is she acting like she didn't do anything wrong? She doesn't actually think that way, right?_

Having been left hanging, David silently fumed and awkwardly retracted his hand. He never was a very sociable person, but even he wasn't this difficult. Thankfully, he wouldn't have to rip his own hair out himself in frustration as a certain robot came to his rescue again.

"Apologies sir, 'YoRHa Type A No. 2' is her designation and this unit is Pod 042. Recommendation: Unit A2 should cooperate immediately. Coordinated efforts made to quickly resolve current confusion is a more efficient use of time and energy for all parties involved." Pod 042 mediated, being the usual voice of reason it was.

"Alright! Fine! I get it! Look, you can just call me A2. Happy now?"

The girl who was now known as A2 introduced herself begrudgingly and David could only rejoice now that things were finally moving along. Heck, he didn't even care about her strange name at the moment. Screw it, he'll play along if it means they're getting somewhere!

"Yeah okay. Thanks…A2. Oh right, before I forget…Kate! Can you bring the others over here so you can all introduce yourselves too?"

At the mention of her name, Kate perked up before ushering the rest to gather behind David. With a face of uncertainty defined by the knitting of her brows, she gave David a questioning look. Many of the younger ones seemed uneasy being in close proximity to the same girl who had only moments ago thrashed around their guardian whom they had quickly become attached to. Even the stoic Jonathan tensed up like a board as he stood beside David. Kate and Petro, not feeling quite as confident, tried to conceal themselves behind the only friendly adult they knew.

The reason he drew attention towards them was so that he could use them as a sort of reminder, a 'shield' to ward off any potential further violence should things go south. He knew this was risky, perhaps even stupid and insane. If they fought again, he would most likely die with the children following him next and running away with the large group in tow would be next to impossible given what he had witnessed.

Either way, there really wasn't much he could do in this situation. They were completely at her mercy.

However, the fact that this 'A2' had not shown any hostility towards the children was a good sign in David's point of view. As rude as she was, A2 was willing to peacefully communicate after that altercation…perhaps she wasn't so bad and could be reasoned with.

He hated using the children like this, but he couldn't think of anything else at this moment but to talk things out as best as he could and appeal to her sense of sympathy, if she had any that is.

Naïve? Overly optimistic? Maybe, but he would take this gamble.

"Come on, don't be shy now. I know you're scared, but what happened before was all just a misunderstanding. Everything is fine now, so please introduce yourselves. Go on, say hi! Miss A2 won't bite! Right?" David beamed brightly at A2.

"You're the one who bit me!" A2 accused loudly as she cupped her shoulder

It seemed she was still bitter about that.

Mentally snickering, David gently encouraged the children once more. Taking a deep breath, Kate decided to initiate as the eldest of the youthful group.

"H-hello Miss A2. M-my name is Kate. It's very nice to m-meet you."

After bashfully saying her piece, she immediately latched onto David's leg and buried her face into his side. Unbeknownst to her, Kate's reddening ears were still visible for everyone to see. The sight was made even more endearing as she shook in embarrassment, having exhausted her minute supply of courage.

"Yay! Excellent job! Now everyone please follow big sister Kate's example. I know you can all do it if you try. Huh, A2? Is there something wrong?"

David looked back towards her when he noticed a sudden movement from his peripheral vision. It was almost like she had recoiled back from being struck hard in the chest by something.

"Ghk…"

The girl with ghostly white hair had let out a strangled noise as she centered her attention on the anxious, pigtailed girl embracing David's leg. Her lips pressed down into a thin line, forming a stern frown.

"Uh, A2? Is everything alright?" David repeated in a low, steady tone. He had tilted to the side to cover his hand that was gradually reaching for the pistol in his holster until he flicked the safety off quietly with his thumb. He didn't know what caused this behavior, but this time he was more prepared. He had made sure to clear the chamber and did a function check before putting it away. Her weapons were out of sight and at this distance, even she couldn't evade a bullet. Insane speed or not. What David was concerned about right now, was _why_ she was reacting like that.

"Y-yeah! Everything's fine! You don't have to bring your weapon out. I can tell you're reaching for it you know." A2 coldly informed David.

She then hesitantly turned back towards the children before quickly looking away to the side. Her eyes were darting back and forth between them and a tree she had suddenly taken a keen interest in.

"Anyway, you don't have to call me Miss A2 or whatever. Like I said before…just call me A-A2. Yeah. Uh…it's…nice to meet you too bra- I mean Kate and the rest of you kids too."

When she realized she had been stumbling over her words, A2 quickly covered her mouth with a hand and looked away once more. She attempted to hide her face with those pale delicate fingers, but the unmistakable hue of pink on her cheeks that rivaled a rose, had shone through the gaps. After a couple seconds of inaudible muttering, she quickly crossed her arms and looked back at them with her usual impassive expression as if nothing had happened at all.

Although, the faintest traces of a blush had still remained.

…

There was an awkward silence before it was broken by a snort.

"Pffft. You're a funny lady." Petro had piped up. The statement was also a summation of what all the others thought as well considering the cheerful chorus of giggling that was steadily increasing in volume.

"W-what!? What do you mean!?"

A2 was now at a loss and was wondering how to progress from here. She didn't have to wonder for too long however.

"Report: Abnormal spike in pulse rate recorded 11.81 seconds ago coupled with contrasting behavior in the personality matrix.

Hypothesis: Unit A2 was acting on her instinct as an android to interact with and protect humanity. This instinct was further reinforced when taking into account the fledgling humans before her, causing unit A2 to feel affectionate and protective of them. Humans often referred to this as the 'paternal' or 'maternal' instinct.

As for your contrasting behavior, unit A2 was most likely experiencing a mix of emotions influenced by said instinct. Chief among them being shyness, insecurity, and embarrassment possibly due to the lack of procedural knowledge in this unexplored scenario.

End of report."

"L-like hell I was embarrassed, you idiot! What do you know about embarrassment anyway, you hunk of scrap!?" A2 cried out in a fluster.

A warm, coral flush had made its way to her face once more.

"I have felt and analyzed the emotion called 'embarrassment' for the last 7 years 4 months and 22 days along with a few other mental states. Suffice to say, yes, this unit has a practical understanding of this emotion. Therefore I can conclude that A2 is in fac-"

"ARGH! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP! Just shut up, stupid Pod!" A2 roared desperately.

"Negative."

As A2 was about to go on another tirade, she heard a chuckle come from the front and turned her head towards it.

Standing there with a much more relaxed posture, she could see that David was wearing the biggest shit-eating grin she had ever seen. It was big enough that even Jackass would give her seal of approval. When he caught her staring at him, he quickly turned aside and attempted to conceal his laughter that was beginning to leak out.

However, his shoulders that were shaking up and down had clearly given him away. He was soon joined by the rest and a small gigglefest was started in her honor.

"Damn it, enough! Look! You want information, right? Let's start already!"

The light-hearted amusement gradually died down and the atmosphere didn't seem so strained anymore. After letting loose, the children soon settled down more comfortably in her presence and were already looking around for things to distract themselves with. Observing his surroundings and checking to see that everything was fine, David proceeded to walk up to A2 to commence business.

"Alright. Where to start? Can you tell-"

He was about to begin his questioning when Pod 042 drifted in between them.

"Humans have a biological component called the brain. They do not possess memory circuits or thought processors and are thus incapable of directly sharing information digitally. Therefore, a memory and consciousness data scan is impossible.

Proposal: Contact with unit 2B and 9S should be established immediately. Having close allies in the vicinity will result in a more effective distribution of information for Human: David and will assist in constructing well-informed decisions regarding the discovery of humans."

David raised an eyebrow at the terms he heard but suppressed the urge to sate his curiosity and continued to listen patiently.

A2 scrunched her nose and mulled over the idea for a bit. She wasn't exactly thrilled about seeing 9S again, but on the other hand…

"Fine. Do it Pod. That way I won't have to repeat myself. Besides, I'm sure that runt would love to take over, especially when he finds out _what_ he'll be talking to. He always did like flapping his lips."

"Understood."

As A2 was about to give David a basic rundown on what was going to happen, he stuck out his hand and offered her a soft flimsy white sheet. She looked dumbfounded as she stared at the object and then back at him.

"What? Have you never seen paper towel before? I mean, since it sounds like more company is on the way, I think it would be better if we cleaned ourselves up first. Come on, let's head over to the stream." David beckoned.

"…"

She took the sheet from him and started rolling it in her fingers like she was checking for anything unusual about it.

 _What a strange girl._

Without waiting for a reply, he walked over and squatted down in front of the gentle current. The cordial persona he had been using so far melted away and his usual stony expression took its place once more. He began to softly cleanse the caked-up blood around his mouth and neck. The cool, crisp water helped soothe the panging soreness he was feeling from being decked in the chin from earlier. He splashed his face a few more times and held his hand in place to gently massage the area.

Too easy.

It was quite perplexing as things were going along perhaps a little too well and completely contrary to his expectations.

It wasn't like he was complaining or anything, far from it. This was good, very good in fact. He just wasn't anticipating for things to go so smoothly. As far as proper introductions go, this was a better start than he had hoped for. There was just so much to think about and worry over that it was starting to feel a little overwhelming.

He could see her staring at him now while she cleaned herself up a short distance from him. Those pale, icy blue gems boring into him with such intensity…

The way she and that Pod gazed at him silently, wordlessly as if they were analyzing every one of his movements…

It was unsettling.

"If you have something to say, just spit it out already. Just how long are you going to stare at me with those dead-fish eyes of yours?"

David blinked as he was brought out of his reverie. It seemed he had unintentionally stared back at her too.

"Ah, no its nothing." he feigned an apologetic smile.

"Tch. Whatever. Are all you humans this annoying?" A2 huffed as she finished up. Walking off and leaning on a tree with her arms crossed, she began to monitor the children.

David narrowed his eyes.

There it was again. The way she kept referring to him. Human.

But why?

…

He shook his head. No. He _knew_ she wasn't a human so that was probably why. The lingering taste in his mouth could testify to that. Remembering the inconceivable things he had seen in this strange forest so far, he had a strong hunch of just exactly what she was. He would not carelessly assume though for that wasn't how he worked. He would delay all judgement until all the facts came together. Their verbal interaction was a brief one, so he couldn't judge her character all that well either, but…he had a gut feeling that she wasn't inherently a bad "person".

A bit hotheaded for sure, but not malevolent.

Looking back behind him, he could see a barely detectable smile grace her lips as she watched the children play together. It was so subtle he would have missed it if he wasn't paying attention. Ruefully, he shook his head once more and sulked. What was up with this unfair treatment?

For now, all he needed to know right now is that she meant no harm to the children.

That was enough for him.

He had plenty of questions to ask, but he would get his answers soon enough.

He just hoped that this 2B and 9S were more agreeable than A2.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Hey everyone, Drunk Operator here!

I just wanted to say thanks for all the concern you've shown me and that I'm alright.

It was a pretty crappy start to the year, but everything is fine now.

I'm still alive and kicking so no need to worry!

It's been a while since I wrote anything and I feel a little rusty, so I hope the chapter isn't too bad.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading it and thanks again!

Leave a review and share your thoughts!


	12. Chapter 11

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 11**

"…Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

Tch, this is exactly why she didn't want to go anywhere near him, let alone talk to him. Even after all this time and clearing up their misunderstandings, he was as brusque and spiteful as always.

"Look, get 2B here as well. I have something important to tell you guys."

"I'm here A2."

She could see 2B walk into the frame of Pod 042's holographic display. Besides Anemone and Jackass, 2B was probably the only other android she could really count as a friend now. They both understood each other and even once shared the same pain. No words were needed to be said between them as they were usually on the same wavelength. Considering how she was designed, she was practically a sister. They momentarily studied each other before she continued her report.

"Good. Listen, what I'm about to tell you is going to sound crazy, so I'm just going to tell you once. Don't. Freak. Out. Yeah, I'm looking at you 9S." She warned as she stared at him purposefully.

"Would you just get on with it? Unlike you, we're actually quite busy."

A2's temper flared up.

"I'm getting there so just shut up and listen!"

As 9S was about to quip back, 2B quietly covered his mouth with a gloved hand and suppressed the imminent verbal projectiles aimed at her.

"Go on." 2B encouraged in her usual silky voice.

"…I don't really know how to explain this, so I'm just going to be blunt."

…

"I found humans. The humans…they weren't extinct like we originally thought. They're actually still here on Earth."

Not a word was spoken as the two androids on the other end took in the news. Both 2B and 9S just stood there, expressionless as they carefully processed what they just heard. She could almost see the steam blowing out of their ears as they tried to make sense of what they heard.

"…Is this some kind of sick joke? It is, isn't it? You've finally gone haywire and now you want it all to end. Fine then, I'll do you a favor and ram you through! I'll thoroughly fry your circuits too for good measure!" 9S whispered before ascending into a full-blown threat.

"9S! Let's just hear her out!"

"No, 2B! Can you believe what she just said? Are you serious? Hear her out? What kind of messed up crap is this?! Ohhh! Guess what? I've suddenly found some humans! They weren't extinct after all!

The Commander, the Operators, Devola and Popola, our fellow androids…

Didn't you know? Everything we've all been through was just some elaborate joke! No problem at all!

Seriously, this isn't even remotely funny!"

9S paused and looked straight at her, his orbs piercing into her very being. His eyes were a familiar blue pool of pain, emptiness, and longing she knew all too well. His next words were dipped with a vile sludge, the type of sludge that clung onto you no matter how much you scrubbed. She hated it because it was what all androids had to live with when they too discovered the truth all those years ago.

But…that could all change.

If only he would listen for just a second!

"You should know this very well by now. The truth is already out there and there's no longer any lie to be perpetuated. We androids are no longer needed in this world. Our creators, the Humans, are extinct and there's nothing that can change that fact. I know a lot of the androids are starting to unravel with no purpose to drive them, but you can't just pull something like this! No fancy story is going to cut it anymore! No pretty delusion is going to pull us out of this hole! Are you _trying_ to start up a YoRHa 2.0?!"

That's it. She had had enough of his tragic bitch boy drama.

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP ALREADY?! For a high end Scanner model, you sure are _stupid_ when you want to be! Instead of analyzing _why_ I would make a claim like this, you jump off the rail with dramatic shit like this? Then you accuse _me_ of all people for wanting another YoRHa? Me?! Go fuck yourself you brat! If you don't believe it, then see for yourself! Pod!"

"Affirmative."

The camera panned away and zoomed into the background behind her. The man and the children were now staring in this direction inquisitively, wondering what the loud fuss was all about. The human's hand was on his holster once more, trigger finger twitching and ready to shoot. She sighed at the sight. Were humans always this jumpy or was it just him? Though she couldn't exactly blame him considering how wary he was after having his ass handed to him.

A2 turned back towards the screen.

"Well?"

"Are those…children? When did they start making android children? Their clothes are incredibly different too. They look similar to the ones I've looked at with 21O when we were browsing records on Old World culture and information about humanity." 9S ruminated.

"9S, they aren't androids. Me and the Pod have already confirmed they're human. We did a scan and everything. They're the real deal." A2 firmly assured him.

Looking doubtful, 9S was about to say something but held himself back before curiously glancing towards the group behind her again. There was a glimmer of marvel in his eyes that brought new life to his face, a sharp contrast to his previous brooding expression.

"You're absolutely sure of this and that the scans aren't coming out in error?" 2B suddenly piped up.

She could hear the doubt in her sister's voice as well, yet it was tinged with a subtle hint of hope. Despite her impassive demeanor that was a mirror of her own, she could almost see 2B begging for it to be true.

"Yeah. They're really human." A2 softly reconfirmed.

"It's also why I want the both of you to come over here as quick as you can, so we can decide what to do. Come see for yourself."

"…Fine, we're heading over. Come on 2B!"

And just like that, the feed closed with a flicker.

She couldn't help but crack a smile at the giddiness and sense of urgency that leaked out into his voice. Heh. He tried to play it off, but that runt never was good at hiding his emotions.

* * *

A2 sighed as she opened her eyes and plucked out a couple twigs caught in her hair. That was a couple hours ago. She thought they'd be waiting around for 2B and 9S to get here in an uncomfortable silence once again, but surprisingly it wasn't so. See, she wasn't sure if she should be feeling grateful or troubled. In exchange for being spared two hours of waiting around doing nothing, she was forcefully dragged into the mischief the children had cooked up.

To put it simply, she was essentially turned into a play thing, or as that man impishly put it, a "play mate".

A2 combed her silvery mane free of the remaining debris with her fingers as she silently questioned her lot in life with a bewildered expression. Never would she have imagined such a thing. Her, one of the most dangerous and battle-hardened fighters on this side of the freaking planet…reduced to this. It was unfathomable.

It had all started when her conversation ended. When she turned around to face everyone, she nearly jumped in surprise when she was greeted by the entire group of tiny humans who were suddenly gathered in front and staring right up at her. Turns out the Pod's display had captured their interest much more than the surrounding dirt and grass. They had all bombarded her with numerous questions in their excitement, particularly about something called "moo-vees" that depicted princesses, super heroes, dragons, or zombies. There might have been a few more things they screamed out, but she didn't even know what half of those things were.

Much to their dismay, the Pod had informed them that it did not have what they were asking for and that it would need to acquire those video files. Pity, she had wanted to see what the children were so eager about. For some reason, she had felt quite sullen when she saw their disappointed expressions. Much to her annoyance, A2 had quickly found that she couldn't seem to fully comprehend or even control her emotions when she was interacting with the little humans. It was almost as if she had been seeing the world around her all this time through a murky filter and it had now been lifted upon discovering them. It was like the world had become bigger, brighter, and more colorful.

It was all so strange, these new feelings and sensations…

So alien, yet so familiar.

So foreign, yet they felt oh so _right._

It was almost as if nothing else mattered but the ones in front of her. She knew that it had something to do with how androids were designed, but she couldn't help but feel that there was perhaps something more to it. Just what was this feeling? Her contemplation regarding this new awareness was soon cut short however by a new development and it had also signaled the incoming chaos that was about to unfold.

Seeing that the children needed something more stimulating to pass the time, the dead eyed bastard came up with the _oh so wonderful_ idea of playing classic 'make believe'. According to the Pod, it was quite a common game for human children to play pretend and come up with a variety of different scenarios. It was a game that apparently helped children foster social skills, improve emotional competence, and contribute to cognitive development.

When she expressed her confusion about the proposed plot they had wanted to enact, the Pod had explained in great detail what the 'saving the princess from the evil monster' scenario required. The whole thing kind of reminded her of fighting through armies of hostile machine lifeforms and their elite variants.

"Hmm~ " A2 grinned. It seemed that she was one of those brave sword wielding heroes one of the younger boys were talking about.

Ordinarily, this wouldn't have bothered her at all, in fact she was itching to show them a few flashy moves and some taunts. It wasn't like she wanted to appear _cool_ or anything like that. It was just to assure them how capable she was and that they were safe with her.

Really.

She was more than ready to entertain the children, but that jerk had something else in mind. Instead of playing the role of hero or knight, he had once again cast her as the villain. The rationale for this was: "No hero constantly scowls. You never know if they could be a big meanie who would beat up random strangers~!"

As for his role?

…

He was the damned 'princess' of all things.

" _I know, why don't you all be my loyal knights in shining armor~?"_

The man had flared up theatrically, his voice cracked unnaturally and cooed sickeningly to fulfill his self-given role. The way he pleaded and expressed his woes in such a faux-feminine manner for help against the "Evil and Stinky Buttface Loser Demon King A2 the Third" was more than enough to spur on the energetic crowd of fun-hungry children. She had tried imagining the man in a YoRHa dress along with his unshaven face and masculine frame to try and make sense of the concept.

Suffice to say, it was an unsettling mental image and it honestly horrified her. She had immediately wiped it from her memory lest she somehow short circuit herself.

They had all playfully jumped her, spurred on by the mad cackling of that 'princess' who had sentenced her to death via tickling. The way he grinned at her so smugly, it was definitely his way of getting back at her.

Still, it wasn't so bad. The way these soft bundles of joy and laughter swarmed her, she could even say that it was…c-cute. Ahhh, was this…what _happiness_ felt like?

…

A2 heaved a sigh.

She'd reflect on these thoughts later, they still had to deal with more important things. As she opened her eyes after a brief recollection of last hours events, she brought her attention back to what was currently taking place.

"Good day, my designation is 2B, sir. Glory to mankind."

"Uh, hi! I mean good day, sir! I'm 9S, reporting for duty! Glory to mankind!"

She watched on as her fellow soldiers saluted David who could only blink in confusion.

"…"

"Uh, sir, not to doubt you or anything but…are you really human? Now, I know this is going to sound bizarre, but can I touch you?"

The man frowned at the weird question and let out a breath as he too picked out a couple strands of long grass out of his hair. Served him right, she did not take her "execution" lying down.

"Judging from your question, I'm assuming you and your friend here are like A2?" David asked as he extended his arm for a handshake.

"Yes, we are androids created to serve and protect humans like you sir. There are other androids as well who are part of a fighting force called the Resistance, but we're YoRHa you see, top of the line. With us, you have nothing to worry about!" 9S shamelessly promoted as he stood with a straight back and perfect salute.

He gave the man a goofy smile before turning around to smile at the children as well. Though they didn't seem to know what was going on, they too returned the smile before waving their hands in greeting. 9S happily reciprocated before he adopted an inquisitive gaze.

"Wait…if you're a human, shouldn't you know about us androids and everything else?"

Huh, the runt had a point. The humans were their creators after all. All this time, he'd been acting confused like he'd never even heard of them.

The man hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"…Let's just say I've been out of the loop for some time. If we're going to help each other understand what's going on, I'm going to need some context. Could you perhaps give me a run down on everything you know so far? From start to finish please. You see, I think I've got some mild amnesia.

The last time I heard anything about actual androids was when they were first introduced as an integral part of some loony project called the Gesh-talt something, had something to do with voodoo or magic if I remember correctly. It was all over the news and those androids were still in the Uncanny Valley. They didn't look anything like you. Yet. Assuming you _are_ what you claim you are."

The three of them blankly stared back at him.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait! Are you talking about the Devola and Popola models? Right when they were first being implemented? Wow, that's a realllllyy long time ago! How are you still alive!?" 9S cried out in shock as he zoomed in closer to the human.

"Look, just give me a short history lesson here, something like a timeline would be fine. The kids and I seem to have been asleep in a cryo facility of some sort. I think. Save the questions for later and bring me up to speed. I just want to hear some info and put my thoughts together first."

A2 could hear the thinly veiled impatience seeping into his tone and the discomfort he subtly conveyed at having his personal space invaded. She smirked, even the human was getting annoyed with how much the boy talked.

"Well, alright. If that's what you want. So-"

For another hour or so, they did their best to fill in the blanks. The process was made smoother with the abundant amount of information stored in both Pod 042 and Pod 153. They had covered numerous topics: that disease or something he persistently kept asking about, the aliens, machine lifeforms, the Resistance, YoRHa, the end of the 14th Machine War, the armistice with the Army of Humanity, and other details as well as the aftermath of recent events.

David had been quite difficult to work with considering all the questions, interruptions, and accusations he blurted out. He had thought they were playing tricks on him, pranks he had called them and their feats of physical prowess were compared to fancy martial arts moves honed with training.

His skepticism and unbelieving attitude was quickly squashed however when 2B suggested the demonstration of the two Pod's skill programs, something that surpassed any personal tactical weapon from his time. She had awfully enjoyed his silly and flabbergasted look as whole trees came crashing down in front of him, courtesy of the upgraded R010: Laser and R030: Hammer programs. The children on the other hand were all enraptured by the presentation of firepower and immediately demanded another round in which the Pods obliged only if they stood a distance away. Needless to say, the whole thing had definitely caught the man's attention and he was much more willing to listen after that. Of course, it didn't completely remove his doubt but at least he wasn't interrupting anymore.

"So, let me get this straight. You're saying that the White Chlorination Syndrome managed to spread all over the world thousands of years ago and that Project Gestalt, the supposed final hope of mankind's salvation that we bet everything on, ultimately failed. How or why, nobody knows for some reason. This, resulting in our extinction until you discovered us."

"Yes, sir. At least that's what the records tell us. However, considering you're here, I'm not so sure how accurate our data really is now. Although there's likely more information archived somewhere, but locating them would be kinda…" 9S trailed off as he scratched the back of his head in uncertainty.

He looked back up to face David but flinched at his expression. The man was not amused in the slightest.

"…What you're also telling me is that planet Earth was invaded and conquered by an alien race of giant wrinkly cocks with sunken faces and tentacles for feet. They also created robots, no wait, machine _lifeforms_ that now inhabit a majority of the Earth and you…androids have been fighting these things all this time?"

"Errr yeah, sure…t-that sounds about right? Though the aliens were actually exterminated a while back when the machines rebelled against their creators."

The man slowly leaned in closer to 9S's face until their noses touched and squinted hard.

"Really?"

"R-Really. I'm telling you the truth, as far as I'm aware." 9S reassured as he took a step back.

Standing straight once more, David crossed his arms and glowered.

"Bullshit. Bull fucking shit! What the fuck do you think I am?! A brain dead veggie in a hospital bed? You really expect me to believe all the shit that came out of your mouth boy? There's no way humanity could have been wiped out that easily. I know the WCS was bad considering Japan had to freaking _nuke_ Shinjuku, but let's be reasonable here.

Surely with how advanced our science and medical progress were, we would have found a cure for it already. We were even close to finding a cure for Cancer for crying out loud. I mean that's 7 billion people you know? The stuff about aliens, machines, and you supposed androids? The year is 11952, not 2032? Come on, if you're going to fool around, at least try."

They were all taken aback. The human didn't seem to believe them at all.

"Well, like I said, that's what the records tell us. We don't know much more than that, thousands of years have passed so data can get lost or even distorted. Besides, with what we've shown you so far, is it really that farfetched? Being a human, shouldn't you actually know all this?" 9S questioned hesitantly, not wanting to agitate the man any further.

"Right, because this is totally common knowledge. And that little drama with your YoRHa organization? It sounds like some awfully contrived plotline for some B-rated sci-fi. _You're_ a soldier? You look no older than fourteen, keep the fantasies in your head and out of reality. Look, I've played along for long enough. Now can you tell me what's really going on, so we can all get on with our day?"

…

There was silence as all three androids took in the incredulous words. A2 especially couldn't believe her ears. This bastard…did he really just? If it was anyone else, she would have stomped their heads into the ground by now. But, he was a human! How could a human of all things be saying this to them?!

She glanced to the side. 2B was stoic as usual, but she could tell how upset she was from the clenching of her fist. 9S simply looked down at the ground and remained silent as he grit his teeth.

This fucking asshole…!

She could feel her core programming warning her again, initiating a level one jamming of her motor functions and ambulatory control. Now that he was confirmed to be human, it became even harder to fight against the programming set in place for all androids.

As if sensing the wrongness in the air, David nervously looked back and forth between the three of them, his irritation quickly morphing into concern.

"H-hey, 9S right buddy? I, you…" the man trailed off before he groaned and kindly placed a hand on 9S's shoulder.

"Look, assuming that everything you've said is true, perhaps I said something I shouldn't have. I'm sorry, it was insensitive of me. It's just…try putting yourself in my shoes. This is really, _really_ hard to believe. While you've shown me some impossible things that could give your story weight…I…well…" he uttered as he glanced over at her, presumably remembering their first encounter.

David faltered again and dawned a troubled look, mulling over something as if he was trying to find the right words to say. 2B and 9S watched him intently, gauging his reactions.

…

"Pffft! Hahaha! Sure. You know what? I think I'm inclined to believe you. I'm terribly sorry for being so rude. We've wasted enough time out here. I think I've already said this before but I'm missing a chunk of my memories for some reason. You see that tunnel entrance over there? We came out of some kind of cryo facility, lab and all. There might be something in there that can answer all of our questions. There were a ton of computers down there too, so if you're good with tech, there might be some hope. I could use some help combing through all the sealed rooms as well. Would you like to come help us?" David asked in an upbeat tune, a complete 180 from his previous attitude. Strange. His delivery seemed rushed. Forced. He also looked awfully pale and jittery.

"Wait, are you serious? Data and information from the Old World!? The genuine article and not diluted bits here and there? I can't believe this! Did you hear that 2B!? We're being invited to go where no other androids have ever set foot before! Think of all the stuff we could uncover! Yes, we'd love to come with you, it's an honor!" 9S squealed as he vigorously shook David's hands.

A2 snapped her neck towards 9S in amazement. What the hell? He forgave him just like that?

An innocent smile of pure elation and a fierce, sparkling gaze soon replaced the boy's gloomy mood from only seconds before. Staying true to the nature of his model, the invitation to sate his thirst for ancient knowledge overrode any offense dealt to him before.

"Mmf!"

This time she whipped around to her side, her attention captured by a muffled moan.

2B was shaking as she cupped her nose and mouth as if to suppress something. Her sister's eyes seemed to be enamored by a radiance visible only to her. She followed her gaze to the white haired midget who was still blissfully salivating.

…

A2 shook her head. Ugh, these two should just get a room.

"Katie, do you mind guiding them down. It's a straight path and you take the left at the fork. I'll be with you all shortly." David asked kindly.

"Huh? Me? You're not coming with us Mr. David?" Katie gulped.

"I will. I will. There's no need to worry, these three are much stronger than me so they'll be able to protect you no matter what. Mr. and Mrs. Pod are here too after all! I just need to…"

"Inaccurate. We tactical support units do not-"

"Shut it, Pod."

A2 gave the man a long, hard glance. There was a look of fatigue highlighted by the slight bags under his eyes as he smiled. A barely visible film of cold sweat was beginning to develop on his forehead. She met 2B's questioning gaze and nodded.

"C'mon, let's go. He's armed and he can take care of himself. He said he'd be right behind us, didn't he? Shouldn't be hard at all finding this underground facility with both of the Pods.

"Correct. Both Pod 042 and this unit are capable of navigating subterranean areas without the use of satellites through sonar to generate a sonic map of the surroundings." Pod 153 informed.

"I'll stay with him. We can't just leave him here by himself. We'll meet up with you as soon as he's done whatever he needs to do."

"No, 9S. Thank you for the concern but please go with them. I'll be fine. You said that you androids live to serve and protect humans like us right? Then salutations, this is my first order. Go. Escort and protect the children on the way down. I'll be there soon." David smiled once more.

"Wait, you should at least have a Pod watch over you!"

"9S, let's go." 2B said as she dragged him along.

"2B!?"

As the three androids began to venture down into the tunnel along with the children, A2 turned around once more to look at David.

The man nodded.

"Thanks."

She huffed.

"You better not do something stupid and get yourself killed, you hear me? Make it quick."

And with that, she followed the rest and opted to guard the large group's outer perimeter. She knew what was happening as she had gone through something similar on that day. The man needed a little breather, some time alone to gather his thoughts. Maybe they shouldn't have dumped everything on him in such a short time. Judging from his reaction, the overload of information he had deemed unbelievable was bad enough. Now, he was forced to accept it all as reality slowly set in. It sounded bad, but she wasn't too worried. They were androids and yet they had managed to come to terms with their existence and move on. David was a human. Surely he could adapt and overcome this? After all, Adaptability was one of the attributes their creators were best known for.

As they continued their trek, she listened in content to the children's light-hearted chatter as they made efforts to get to know them. Not surprisingly, there were many assumptions that 2B and 9S were…sitting in a tree? Ah, whatever. It seems there were still a lot of things about humans she didn't understand. A2 closed her eyes and smiled to herself. It was a rough start, but she genuinely felt that things were only going to get better from now on.

* * *

When he was sure that they were out of hearing distance, David quickly rushed over to a tree and knelt down.

"BLLAARRRGHGHH!"

His head span as he retched and convulsed. As expected, nothing came up but spittle. He continued to dry heave for a couple more minutes. It was too much. Everything was just too much for him to take in right now. He wanted nothing but to pass out into oblivion, that way he wouldn't have to care about anything for the moment.

"Ah, fuck me. Fuck you. Fuck everything." David cursed as he wiped his mouth.

The white Pod flew close to him and projected a laser that scanned him head to toe.

"Commencing Biological Evaluation. No major malfunction. Minor symptoms of nausea and fatigue detected. Will you be alright sir?" it asked in concern, despite its robotic voice.

He simply replied with a stare, too tired to put in any effort to communicate. He stuck out a finger, beckoning for it to come closer. Pod 042 quizzically tilted its metallic body, before drifting closer. For a moment it simply hovered in place, not understanding his intentions. It took a couple seconds longer before it finally reached out with its stubby, smaller claws and grasped his finger like an infant would.

"Huh. Despite having no facial expressions, you guys still look surprisingly cute." David teased as he reached over to pat it on its back.

"Report: Pleasant. Thank you for your compliment. However, it would be prudent if Human: David would state his intentions. Being apart from the nearest unit with the highest combat potential in the vicinity is hazardous. "

Looking away, he stumbled his way to the entrance wall and leaned his back on it, squeezing his eyes shut before opening them again to stare up at the tunnel ceiling. For what felt like the thousandth time, he breathed in and exhaled a labored breath. The exhausted man gradually slid down till he was sitting with his back hunched and legs spread open. David remained silent as he simply stared into space.

…

He unzipped his vest and reached in to feel around inside one of the hidden pockets out of a sense of familiarity that was probably developed a long time ago.

"I see, there really were some in here. Half a pack left huh? I thought I quit already. Ah, screw it."

He pulled out a pack of stale cigarettes and attempted to light a stick up but found that there was no fluid left in his lighter. Putting it away in frustration, he looked up at the Pod.

"Think you could give me a light?"

"Recommendation: Human: David should immediately discard the tobacco in his possession. It is not recommended to consume tobacco as it contains-"

"Be quiet. Just give me a light. Also, you can just call me David. Classifying me before saying my name is a mouthful don't you think?" David deadpanned.

"Affirmative David."

He flinched as a beam of light shot out and lit the end for him. How handy. He took in a much needed drag and the buzz swirled in his head as he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. He coughed, it tasted a lot nastier than he remembered. It was too bad he didn't have a quality glass of bourbon in his other hand. As he relaxed his muscles, David began to think back on their discussion from earlier and chuckled mirthlessly.

Even now, everything he had heard sounded so outlandish. Preposterous. Inconceivable. Impossible. His mind completely rejected and refused to entertain any of it. However, deep down in his gut, he knew that it was _all_ true. Those people, no, those _androids_ weren't lying. He had observed their facial reactions, body language, and listened extra carefully to the words they used. There was no indication of them lying at all. He knew that his gut was right.

If there was anything he had learned over the years, it was that his gut was never wrong.

Taking in another drag, David cringed as he remembered how he had treated those three when all they wanted to do was help, specifically that boy named 9S. If 9S was serious about his messed up story concerning that YoRHa conspiracy, then that meant he had pulled a dick move by playing it off like it was just a joke.

…

Hold on, why was he feeling sorry for a bunch of machines? Sure, they were humanoid and all, but they were still just machines programmed with personalities right? Ridiculous. He had been so caught up in his emotions that he was actually treating them like they were people. Still, he'd rather they not go hostile just because he tickled their AI the wrong way, A2 being Exhibit A.

"Uwahhh, I better patch things up with them. As usual, I mess up first impressions again. I hope big sis is doing a lot better than me. Knowing her, she'd get along swimmingly with everyone."

He got up and stretched, cracking his neck while he was at it.

…

Wait a second.

Oh.

"AHHHHH! Holy shit! I completely forgot about Emma!" he screamed as the half-burnt cigarette dropped out of his lips. David panicked. He _knew_ he was forgetting something important. Emma was his only family left, how on earth could he have forgotten about her!? Where was she!?

"Damn it all, calm down! Fuck! Alright relax, you looked through every cryo pod in there and she wasn't one of those dead popsicles. This facility didn't even look completely built yet. With how advanced that tech is, no way they'd leave it just like that. This probably means they had to close it down in a hurry…

Communication and emergency protocols of operations as major as this should mean that there are probably more facilities out there, they wouldn't put everything in one basket. That means Emma could probably be in one of them with some other people right!? Yes. That must be it! It has to! I most likely worked for whatever company or organization this was. It wouldn't be strange if employee family members were reserved a spot, right?!" David muttered hysterically to himself as he paced around while biting his thumb. He paced around anxiously for a little longer and tried to remain optimistic, before he abruptly froze in place.

"Hey Pod…9S said he was good with IT related stuff didn't he?"

"Correct. YoRHa No.9 Type S is a high end scanner model and was a member of YoRHa's automated infantry. A scanner type android specializes in investigation, network infiltration, and excels at hacking-based information collection."

Ah, that's just perfect. He could use him to access those computer terminals to possibly find out where Emma is, and any other records that are on those things. There was hope! However, he was going to need some backup going into another underground area when he found a location. Problem was, would the androids even bother helping him? A2, 2B, and 9S said that they'd help however they could, but humans have been gone for quite a long time, no? What if they didn't listen to him? They're free without humans, so what's stopping them from rebelling against _him_ so they can remain that way? Those machine lifeforms pulled the plug on _their_ creators didn't they?

"…Say, how loyal are the androids? Us humans are your creators, but we've been gone for quite a long time. Can I trust them at all? The three down there seem nice enough, but they can hardly represent all androids."

"Androids were designed to serve and protect humanity. It is the primary directive coded into their core programming. It is an instinctive impulse hardwired into their systems." Informed Pod 042.

"That sounds nice, but I'm sure there have been cases where androids went rogue over the years."

"Affirmative. Rogue androids are usually caught and have their memory circuits erased. Execution is a last resort, however."

"I'm guessing that's the case for androids deserting their stations, but you're not following me. What I'm asking you is, have there been androids in the past who put there needs, desires, and perhaps ideological beliefs above humanity's interests, or outright rejecting us?" David clarified. He felt silly tacking these concepts onto mechanical dolls.

The Pod did not answer right away.

"…There was an independent nation of rogue androids called the Independists in what was known as Australia. It is an area with a dense population of machine lifeforms and the latest monitored reports indicate the Independists are heavily splintered."

David scowled. Rogue androids? He did _not_ like the sound of that.

"Then how about here?"

"Negative. Cases of rogue androids within the Resistance over the years in this area are minimal." The Pod droned. He breathed a sigh of relief. That sounded a lot better than a _nation_ of those things.

"…You mentioned something about hacking, right? Does it work on…androids as well?"

"Correct. The hacking-based offensive abilities of Scanners are capable of subjugating or shutting down a unit. Memory wipes or reprogramming is also a possibility."

David perked up and hummed merrily at that little tidbit.

"Oh? I see. Well, thank you for the information Pod 042. However, I think we should get going. I'm feeling a lot better now, I was just a little overwhelmed before, so I needed some time to settle down. Thanks again!"

"Acknowledged." The Pod buzzed.

No longer burdened as much by worry, his mind cleared the haze that threatened to suffocate it before. He slowly turned around and proceeded to enter the dark tunnel where everyone had gone, his eyes gazing into its shadowy abyss.

David smiled serenely.

A smile that did not reach his cold dead eyes.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Sorry folks, it's been a long time hasn't it? I've been pretty busy looking for a job lately, those bills don't pay themselves you know? Funny thing is, I've just finished writing and editing this chapter after drinking one can too many in my depressive mood. I don't even remember what happened a few hours ago, but when I woke up, this baby was typed up for the most part.

It's wonderful what alcohol can do for you!

I've edited it the best I can, but there might be a few grammar or spelling mistakes here and there.

Anyway, it's getting late and I have to go ' **BLAARRRGHGHH** ' as well. If you have anything to say and want to share your thoughts, leave a review. I'd love to read what you think! Till next time friends and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Ciao


	13. Chapter 12

**The Answer to Life**

 **Chapter 12**

They'd been walking down the rocky tunnel for the last fifteen minutes, taking their time and staying on the side of caution. Besides the fork further down, it was a relatively straight path, so the children had no problem guiding them back. As far as underground networks went, this one was relatively tame, untouched, and thankfully uneventful. The first notable environmental elements they noticed were the trickling of water flowing down the cracked walls, the ghostly beams of sunlight leaking through those very same cracks, the peppered spots of flora reaching out towards any source of illumination like some sort of lifeline, and the decaying rubble strewn around the barren ground.

Everything came together to give the area an ambience reminiscent to the battle-worn city ruins above ground: peaceful, silent, and lonely. The ground being littered with rusty brass only reinforced that observation. Given what lay deeper underneath, A2 couldn't help but feel a sense of history as she inspected her surroundings. After a bit of ruminating, she centered her attention back to the front.

Rather than escort duty, this was more like a relaxing stroll than anything else. She had been worried that defending the young group of twenty-six in this enclosed space would prove to be difficult even with 2B and 9S as the vanguard. Fortunately enough, they hadn't encountered any hostiles. As a plus, the trip wasn't even boring despite the linear path, quite the opposite in fact. It was definitely a far cry from wandering alone aimlessly with nothing but a passive aggressive, nagging Pod at your side for company. She continued to listen in on the children as she walked, the nonsensical ideas and sudden outbursts of playful energy associated with the young never ceased to amuse her. The children's bright and cheery chatter was only occasionally interrupted by Pod 153's geographic updates.

2B and 9S had hit it off fairly well with them, their supportive treatment and attitude earning them major points. 9S's inquisitive nature had given the children the opportunity to bask in the limelight as they made their introductions and 2B was admired as an elegant but stoic princess in a pretty, frilly dress. In the words of some of the younger girls: "Miss 2B is way more cuter and magical than Princess David could ever be!"

She snorted derisively and chuckled. Yes, that was something she could whole heartedly agree with.

For a while now, the children have been asking them all sorts of things. Topics that could be considered a little too personal, topics that were a tad bit… _intimate_. Of course, they were of no significance to her, but _them_ on the other hand…

"Hey! Hey! Ms. 2B, are you and 9S good friends?" asked one of the boys. Cheeky grins that practically radiated mischief were soon plastered on all of the children's faces as everyone tuned in to the current spectacle that was about to unfold.

The question that was inquired was certainly innocent enough but…

"Yes, Nines-, ah, 9S and I are…good friends. We are partners assigned to the surface and have been working together for quite some time now." 2B answered politely. Her speech was stiff at first but gradually softened as she remembered who her audience was.

"Oh, come on 2B, we don't _always_ have to be alone for you to call me that." a certain Scanner muttered under his breath.

She snorted again, making sure it was extra audible. A smug satisfaction warming her chest as a murderous glare was directed at her.

"Kahaha! Did everyone hear that? She said they were _really_ good friends!" Petro cried out, displaying a knowing grin that he shared with the rest. With his natural charisma and confidence, the boy started to count down from three as he beckoned the others to group up and join in on the countdown.

""THREE!""

2B and 9S gulped, not knowing what to anticipate.

""TWoOoOoooOOo!"" snickered Petro, reveling in their reactions.

A2 held her breath, curious and excited to see what this tension would reveal.

""OnnEee!""

….

…

…

Not a word was spoken. A moment of silence.

…

Just a small one. The calm before the storm as it was called.

"2B and 9S sitting in a tree~!

K-I-S-S-I-N-G~!

First comes love~!

Then comes marriage~!

Then comes baby in a baby carriage~!"

High pitched laughter exploded among the children in waves and echoed around them as they cheered with contagious energy. It took the targets of the children's teasing a moment to process everything before 9S balked, a crimson flush rapidly filling his cheeks. He wasn't alone in that as 2B peered downward to the side, slipping strands of her hair behind her ears reticently.

"What? K-kiss!? Wai-wai-wai-wai-wait a second here! What are you guys singing all of a sudden!? Besides, androids can't even make children! On that note, how do you kids even know about this stuff!?" 9S exclaimed, his arms flustering about.

One of the younger boys in the back raised an eyebrow, a disbelieving grin on his face.

"Huh? Even though you're so big you don't even know? Obviously, a bird comes to give you a baby when you get married." The boy declared, absolutely sure of this well-known fact.

Almost immediately, a hand shot up in the air proclaiming its owner's presence. A shorter and much younger girl puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms in front of her chest. It seemed a challenger had appeared.

"Nuh uh, you're wrong! It's when a boy and a girl that like each other kiss. Dis is why boys are so stupid, dey can't even get dis right." Huffed the girl who was standing in front of Jonathan, ignorant of the way the silent lad's squinted eyes were busy drilling a hole into the back of her head in utter disappointment.

Spurred on by this new and seemingly competitive exchange in beliefs, the group of children soon switched gears and began throwing out their own ideas of how babies came about. It was absolute chaos and a new intensity of vigor stirred the air. The tunnel that was beginning to become bleaker and dimmer the farther they descended almost felt as if it was resurrected with the force of the children's vitality.

"…Pffft! Hahahaha!"

A2 couldn't help but laugh softly along and partake in the merriment. All of this was just so random! There were no clever quips or elaborate orchestration of some grand prank that some Resistance members enjoyed doing to keep themselves entertained. Yet, they were all chortling and having so much fun despite the simplicity behind it all.

It was all so..so…

"…"

As nice as this all was, her own laughter began to die down bit by bit until it went mute.

Come to think of it, just when was the last time she laughed like this?

She stared lifelessly at her feet for a solid minute. The volume of her surroundings began to go mute as well, driving her back into a silent corner of the void that she'd long grown accustomed to. The current moment and the accumulation of hollowness during these seven years, it was so…

Once more that dark and familiar feeling came crawling up her spine again and it soon dawned on her that none of this felt _real._

A tightness in her chest was beginning to form and doubt began to claw at her mind.

After everything that happened…

Was this truly reality?

To bring these humans back to the camp…

To genuinely restore hope after all this time…

Was it possible? Could they actually pull this off?

…

Quivering, she opened her mouth before tightly closing it again and swallowed dryly, doing her best to keep it together.

"Shit." A2 cursed as she narrowed her eyes.

Her anguish was soon disrupted when she felt a cautious tap on her thigh.

"Huh?"

Freed from her temporary torture, A2 looked down and noted it was Kate, whom David seemed to entrust the responsibility of supervision among the children in his absence. She'd also noticed how this human child was quite bright and well-mannered for her age. She could understand the logic behind his decision. The child kind of reminded her of that one Operator model 2B had told her about, the one that liked flowers and was all bubbly or something.

"Umm, Ms. A2? Are you alright? I hope that everyone isn't bothering you with all the noise. You look kind of upset. I know Petro and some of the others can be loud at times, but he's actually really nice and funny. Jonathan is already trying to hold him back, see? I'm sorry if we've disturbed you in any way. So, please don't be mad." Kate pleaded timidly, unwilling to look her in the eyes.

Disturbed? Mad? No, she wasn't at all, so why did Kate…oh. A2 relaxed her facial muscles and smiled back tenderly.

"I'm fine Kate and you can just call me A2."

Adaptability. It seemed she too had a ways to go.

Relieved, Kate beamed and returned the smile. The both of them continued to do so until it begun to get awkward, with no conversation to carry on the flow.

A2 chuckled. Though the girl was mature for her age, she was still a shy child with anxieties as well.

To her credit, Kate valiantly attempted to initiate another conversation, but promptly aborted the mission in shame. Bashfully pouting in defeat, she fidgeted insecurely with one of her golden, braided pigtails.

"Kate? What's wrong? Is there something you want to say?" A2 encouraged affectionately.

The child perked up, her eyes swirling about in a panic and her mind racing frantically for a topic. She eyed and scrutinized the gynoid in front of her for a brief moment before settling down, interest now apparent on her expression.

"There is, but I don't want to be rude. They said I shouldn't ask personal questions like that because I might hurt someone's feelings." The child murmured in a troubled fashion.

"It's okay, I don't mind at all. Just ask away."

Seeing as she was given the green light, Kate asked the question that was bugging her all this time.

"O-okay. Umm, why do you have those shiny black spots on your arms and legs? Also, where are the rest of your clothes? Don't you have any?" Kate hesitantly inquired, unsure whether the question would offend her warden or not.

A2 blinked and stared back owlishly.

"Wait, that was it? Then you shouldn't have been so worried. I don't mind telling you at all. It's just some wear and tear. I get banged up and sometimes get my as- err _butt_ kicked around when I'm fighting. My skin rips off from time to time when I get clobbered or when I'm in harsh environments. It's no biggie. As for my clothes, well, this is all I got really. Whatever, it's no problem, they'll just get in the way." A2 shrugged, as she glanced down at her decrepit state and grimaced.

Perhaps she was understating just how bad her condition really was.

She brought up her right hand and examined it. It had once been completely stripped of its artificial skin, but recently she had been going through repairs at Anemone's insistence. A2 didn't particularly care for her physical condition, but Anemone was adamant that she take the chance to patch herself up now that the machine threat was significantly lower.

Accursed broad wouldn't shut up about it for months.

In places where her endoskeleton were once exposed, there was now fresh, new skin covering the surface, courtesy of Jackass and the supply trader's efforts. Of course, the new "paint job" wasn't exactly finished yet considering the time it took for Jackass to synthesize some more of the stuff as well as the lack of required materials. The luxurious spray that the androids used to mend their skin and facilitate regeneration wasn't exactly common or potent enough for her overhaul, so she had to bear the discomfort of the incomplete procedure.

What was left of her exposed parts remained in high motion areas such as her joints. Despite her heated protests, she admitted that it was pleasant to have skin again. A2 clenched her hands and flexed her biceps to demonstrate her range of motion to reassure the girl.

"See? All good here." A2 grinned with confidence.

"NO!"

…

What?

Taken aback, A2 blinked in bewilderment.

"Ms. A2! You can't treat boo-boos like that! You have to take care of them or they'll get even more ouchie! And! And! You have to wear more clothes too! It's not right for a proper lady to be naked! It's bad okay!? You have to take care of yourself okay!? Sheesh!" Kate abruptly admonished with a ferocity A2 hadn't been expecting from the consistently modest adolescent. However, her attempt at strict intimidation fell short as Kate's cheeks puffed up and her 'hand-on-the-hips' pose only made her even more charming, especially with her comically oversized wool jacket.

Ah~!

"Y-yeah, I-I got it. So, don't yell."

A2 could only smile stiffly and nod with glowing cheeks. She desperately squashed the urge to hug the child as she was afraid she'd make her go pop.

"There are machines here too?"

Ah?

They all turned towards 2B who was now crouched over, examining the rusty husks of two smaller machine lifeforms.

"The bodies are still intact. The cause of termination are due to penetration and destruction of the heads, effectively shutting them down. Weapon used seems to have been a small caliber firearm." 2B analyzed as she rolled some debris through her fingers. They looked to be lead fragments.

"Probably David, he was carrying a pistol." Supplied A2, her form now taut at the sign of enemy elements.

"Well, we're here now and it doesn't look like we're picking up any hostile machine lifeforms in the vicinity either." Said 9S as he looked beyond the giant, steel blast doors.

"Good news then. Let's go." 2B announced as she took the initiative to lead in the front.

* * *

As they all stepped into the facility, the first thing they noticed was how crisp and chilly it was, a stark contrast to the warmth above ground they were so used to. Didn't the man say that the power got shut down? When she addressed the young group for answers, all she received were ignorant shrugs. They could all feel the subtle thrums of energy coursing throughout the facility in labored hitches as if it was drawing its final breaths.

"See? It's a good idea to put on some clothes after all." Kate expressed in a pleased manner as she patted her thick woolen with an audible ' _pompf-pompf'_.

A2 smiled in agreement. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Over there down the hall. That's where we came out of." Jonathan pointed, bringing everyone's focus back on track.

She, 2B, and 9S could see a frosty mist pouring out of the blast door that was left ajar. The recent signs of melted ice around its edges beginning to freeze over again with a translucent sheen.

"…Do we go in or wait for David?" A2 piped up.

"Well, we're already here. It can't hurt to take a peek, right?" 9S suggested in poorly concealed anticipation as he fidgeted with this index fingers. He began advancing in the direction of his interest with 2B in tow.

"I'd highly suggest you _don't_ go in there." A deep, frigid voice stopped the boy in his tracks.

"Whoa! I didn't see you there sir!" 9S jumped in surprise.

She tilted to the side. Huh, impressive. Even _she_ didn't notice him coming up from behind. They must have been more distracted than they realized.

"I've gone over this with Pod 042, but you can just call me David. Our objective here is to uncover any info this place has to offer about its purpose, maybe find some supplies for the road and eventually make our way to the Resistance camp after we're done. I know the plans a bit vague, but it should suffice for now, don't want to make it too complicated given our current situation." David instructed.

"Alright then. There sure are a lot of doors though. Where do you want us to start?"

"I'll leave that up to you. However, prioritize supplies and any equipment. We can always come back here later. As for _that_ room over there…stay away from it and don't let anyone go in there."

"Um, is there a reason?"

David simply stared back at the Scanner, then 2B, and then at her. He gave her a slight nod in appreciation and ignored the query before setting off to investigate whatever he was concerned with.

"…Well, uh, I guess we should get a move on then." 9S proposed, miffed and put off.

She simply sighed and followed 2B who was already examining the blast doors protecting each room, with 9S closely tailing her.

"Huh, hey 2B, these doors seem to be designed to resist fragments, perforation, and earthquakes. By my estimations, they can probably resist up to two thousand psi to overcome resistive forces from any debris. From the looks of it, an engine driven generator provides backup electrical power for the doors to operate in an emergency. It can also be opened manually but…the latching mechanisms seem to be jammed."

"So how do we open it 9S?"

"Hmmm…"

A2 rolled her eyes. For fucks sake. She proceeded to pull the runt back and kicked the door with as much force as she could muster. The door wasn't blown off, but a visible wedge cracked open, releasing an ancient musty smell of rotten furniture. Her trusty Type-4O Blade materialized, and she pierced it into the wedge, prying the door open further despite its resistance and the screeching cries of warping metal.

Almost immediately, David came rushing back to check the cause of the racket.

"What's going on!? …Oh. Well, that's one way to do it. Just don't damage anything inside and good job." The man praised, astonishment still visible on his face as he continued to stare at the now ruined door. A2 turned around to face 9S, a gloating smirk tossed his way. The boy glared and fumed at her success.

One by one the doors were all pried open like canned tuna until their contents were exposed. Much to their disappointment, there really wasn't much in them besides old and useless junk. Not surprising either, given the incomplete state of this place. With the exception of an armory filled with outdated firearms that David seemed to be quite ecstatic about, there wasn't anything extraordinary.

"Is that it? I was hoping for more…" 9S made his dissatisfaction known.

"No, there's got to be more. This can't be it. Wouldn't make much sense if that were the case. We must have missed something; the place is like a maze." David muttered under his breath.

As if to answer their prayers, radio static started to blare around them. What dim lights that remained flickered wildly, some even sputtering until they illuminated their last and gave up the ghost. The crackling of the white noise broadcasted into a crescendo before easing off and steadying itself.

There was an absence of sound as everyone searched around them for the source.

Static once more echoed into their ears, this time clearer and more connected.

"..e-hm…amn, is thi-even-orking? Son of bit-oh! There we go! Hey Bryan, get your ass over-oh. Damn thing still isn't open yet?"

A feminine voice now joined in with the disturbance. Though, something about it sounded odd, as if the person behind it struggled to articulate themselves properly.

The sound of limping footsteps could be heard pacing across a barren floor before it stopped momentarily only to be followed by a strained grunt. They could hear the telltale hiss of hydraulics or pneumatics being forcefully released from pressure. More cracking blared through as coughing and wheezing now penetrated the fog of white noise, its tone revealing it to be masculine in origin.

"S-shit! Is it over now? Urgh! Everything hurts and it's f-fucking freezing in here…HOLY SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK ARE _**YOU**_!?" the anonymous man screamed in terror, his voice dry, hoarse, and weak like David's had been initially.

" _Calm_ down, would you? It's me, Adele. You're absolutely wonderful and most caring older sister. Now, how are you feeling Bry-"

The audio was cut off as sounds of wrestling and scrambling could be heard. She presumed the man was trying to get away from whatever the woman was. From her peripheral, A2 could see David unholstering his pistol and chambering a round, his stance firm and ready.

"Damn it all, I said CALM THE FUCK DOWN! It's me Adele you fat fucking turd!"

…

"A-Adele? That really you? What the hell happened? Why are you-?"

The man was interrupted by the sounds of a mic screeching and the female entity behind the voice replaced it once more.

"We'll get to that in a sec alright? Hey, you pricks on the outside, I know you can hear us. As shitty as it is, the security system is finally back online. Blasted junk. Seriously, why the _hell_ were you troglodytes kicking down my doors? Couldn't you have come up with something less destructive? Bunch of brutes. Thank God none of those rooms housed anything essential. If I could get this damned place operating like it should, I would have come out _myself_ and gave you all a bunch of new bungholes!"

…

Hah? A2 felt quite ticked now.

Wait, if this woman could see them then…

"Walk to your right until you're under those ceiling pipes. Look up beside that big brown one." Ordered the woman, as if she had read their minds.

"Over there." 2B pointed upward, beating her to the punch.

A security camera they had missed was cleverly hidden among the ceiling pipes just around the corner, the amount of dust on it and the flaking paint providing it perfect camouflage in the drab grayness. It pivoted in their direction with a whir, its red indicator light blinking rapidly and ominously as if judging them on its mounted pedestal.

"…Peek-a-boo~!"

…

"What is up with this woman? What's happening now?"

She could hear David grumbling as he stared straight into the camera's optics. In response to his complaints, A2 could hear a barely audible snicker of amusement.

"…Welcome back Corporal Kwan. It's good to see you again."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

…Well, shit. It's been a long time hasn't it? Kinda feel about it, but what can you do?

RL gets the best of us at times. Got myself a pretty good gig and have been real busy for the last few months. I'll be travelling overseas in a couple days for my job, so I really wanted to pump out at least one chapter before I go.

Don't worry, I'll continue plotting, planning, and creating drafts. This is my first fanfic, like hell I'm going to let it become a dead fic. What a horrible first that would be.

I wanted to thank all of you who sent me PM's regarding my health after my accident and for showing interest in the continuance of this story. I've also been reading the reviews. I can't thank you all enough for them. They've given me lots of support and morale, kinda like my bread and butter haha.

Oh, and to that one reviewer who pointed out the language discrepancy, you're right. It was an oversight on my part when I first started this story. However, considering we're 12 chapters in and it's my first fanfic, I'm just gonna leave it and roll with it. It'll be a great, funny, and cringy experience when I look back on all of this once it's finally complete to see how far I've come lol.

I really missed fanfiction and couldn't help but try and complete this chapter as best as I could. It's nice knowing that there's a community of writers and readers that care.

Once again, thank you everyone. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

Until next time

Ciao~


End file.
